Spellbound
by KAMfiction
Summary: Spellbound is a grimdark, because of several chapters worth of battle-based gore. It revolves around the events that unfolded when Twilight Sparkle released an ancient and very powerful unicorn from a book to which his sould was bound. The Unicorn used Twilight's inquisitive nature and hunger to learn to make Twilight into an incredibly powerful and incredibly power-hungry unicorn
1. Intro cover: The Mysterious Donation

The sun had not yet risen in the morning sky, though the horizon was lit with the diffuse glow of the coming dawn as Twilight began to stir. Ponyville slept soundly as she opened her eyes and let the blood flow back into her hooves. Seconds later came that feeling, the blissful sensation of awakening to a well rested body free of tension and stress.

The feeling is a light tingle, almost hard to detect, though it makes its presence known. When done just perfectly, that very feeling is perhaps the best sensation you will feel over the day. _It__'__s__going__to__be__a__good__day__today__, __yes__it__is__!_

With a smooth push of muscle, Twilight rolled over the side of the bed and let her hooves clack on the wooden floor below. She arched her back and stretched out, letting her blood flow into her brain and eyes as her senses became more and more acute. Her vision of her room sharpened, and the gentle "Library Aroma" greeted her as it always did.

Twilight breathed in slowly, relishing the distinct smell of books and paper. The smell stood out to her as a tiny but very welcome detail of her new life. It reminded her of Canterlot, her days as a schoolfilly busy reading in a cozy corner of Celestia's private library. It also brought refreshing new memories to mind, of her good friends in ponyville who often came to visit the library and learn.

Spike was still sound asleep in his bed, curled up in a tight purple ball. He, like most ponies, wasted their mornings for longer sleep and longer evenings. He kicked his rear leg out briskly, shifting his blankets around him. She silently observed this little spectacle with a little smile on her face, listening to the occasional incoherent mumble from her little assistant.

"He must be dreaming," Twilight chuckled lightly, "Always let sleeping dragons lie."

Twilight scooted downstairs off her library balcony. The books were in order, lined up upon their shelves ready for those who hungered for knowledge or sought entertainment of a different sort. With a quick spell, the very thin layers of dust were removed from her books and sent blowing out the window in a long flowing stream.

She smiled; everything was neatly arranged on their appropriate shelves hewn into the sides of the house. Little by little, the sun illuminated the room as Twilight continued to make her rounds, checking to make sure that everything would be in order and quite pleasant for the ponies of Ponyville.

She turned towards the central table in the room, studying the delicately carved green jade bust of a stallion. With a puff of magic, she blew a small cloud of dust off the jade statues mane, returning the gleam to the jade itself.

Twilight opened the heavy door to the library, letting a little more of the early morning light inside. The door glided smoothly on its heavily crafted brass hinges, but it came to a sudden stop after a dull "THUNK".

Twilight pushed hard against the door, feeling heavy resistance as something outside scraped against the stones. The resistance against the door grew until she could not push further, but a sizeable gap between the door and its frame remained. Twilight squeezed outside, but ended up wedging her flank between the two pieces of solid wood. With a little wiggle and a little tug from her forelegs, she popped free.

A dark wooden trunk in the corner of her vision caught twilight's attention. She turned to the trunk, shaking her head slowly.

_Why__the__hay__would__somepony__leave__... __oh__nevermind__._

The trunk bore a tarnished silver label, initialed with S.R. It was made of a very dark and somehow oily wood, Oxidized with its age but solid nonetheless. Its straps and rivets were made of lightly rusted iron, good craftsmanship from times before.

A crisp note, tied to one of the handles, fluttered in the light morning breeze. Twilight snatched the fluttering note and tore it off the trunk to investigate. Hidden by the note was the resting place of a motionless iron key which hung dead against the influences of the wind.

Twilight turned the note over in her hoof, trying to find its origin or for clues about its writer. It was a rather heavy paper stock, perhaps used to tag big-ticket items at a store or otherwise. The writing, which was very neat and businesslike but rather nondescript shorthand did not help the search at all either.

Twilight looked closer at the note itself, wondering if there were indentations on the paper itself from previous writing, but there were no indentations to be found. She sighed, and read over the note again.

_Dear__Twilight__Sparkle__,_

_This__trunk__is__a__book__collection__that__I__inherited__and__have__no__use__for__anymore__. __I__sincerely__hope__that__some__of__its__contents__are__of__value__to__your__library__._

_Regards_

_-__Your__Anonymous__Benefactor__-_

After growing tired of investigating the note itself, Twilight turned back to the trunk before her. The initials on the trunk were also unfamiliar to her, though this was no surprise given the age of the trunk itself.'

_This__could__be__older__than__ponyville__itself__..._

A light orange-brown tint of rust appeared in spots on some straps, though it was surface damage, little more. Twilight picked up the large iron key, pulling it to break the twine. The bit of the key was formed into the shape of an S, and the wards cut into the bit looked like an R when viewed from the side.

_A__master__locksmith__built__this__long__ago__. _Twilight thought, sliding the key into the S shaped keyhole on the trunk. With a heavy but smooth click, the round lid of the trunk popped off the square body.

Twilight lifted the lid, looking at the neatly stacked old books. She lifted the first one, bound with purple cloth and quite old. She chuckled at the gold leaf title of the book "Modern Magical Techniques," realizing that it was at least one hundred years old.

Twilight closed the heavy trunk, lifting it into her library. She plopped it onto the center of the floor and unlocked it again under the light of a bright candle. "I could use to expand my rare books section" She spoke to herself softly, looking over to a nearly empty glass cabinet the mayor recently gave her.

Twilight heard movement upstairs. Spike was awake and heading downstairs. "Twilight it's time for breakfast" Spike exclaimed, rubbing his stomach with a certain eager impatience that he always held in the morning. Twilight smiled uneasily and scooted into the kitchen to appease her assistant's ravishing appetite.


	2. Chapter 1: First Lesson

Twilight Sparkle pulled a multitude of books out of the trunk, blowing dust off of the old cloth covers and reading their gold leaf titles. They were all in good condition for their obvious age, taken care of or at least left alone.

Most of the books in the trunk peaked Twilight's interest in some way or another. Some were mundane historical accounts of early Ponyville, tax and property records, sales records for the first batches of Zap Apple Jam, and so on.

_These__will__make__a__nice__addition__to__the__library__._

Spike was still in the kitchen, engorging himself with food as Twilight picked through the last of them. She was nearing the end of the sorting, putting some in her new rare books cabinet, and others into the library shelves. She smiled, overall she was very satisfied with her acquisitions.

At the very bottom of the trunk, Twilight ran into a book much different than the others. It looked crisp and new, which made no sense given the layers of dust accumulated on its covers. Twilight rubbed her hoof over it to remove the dust, noticing that the sensation was not rough like cloth but soft and smooth.

Twilight investigated further, examining the dark grey material closely, which felt a lot like... skin.

_Who__binds__a__book__with__leather__?_ She thought, having never seen the morbid practice anywhere else in Equestria.

There was no title to the volume, and a square wax seal was pressed over the very white pages. The wax looked as fresh as the pages on the book itself, though given the dust in the trunk it had likely not been touched in a hundred years or so.

The wax seal was an intricate design, that of an ancient coat of arms that Twilight had never seen before. The coat of arms was a phoenix, its burning wings spread in a threatening pose. Its beak was open, revealing a long forked tongue, like that of a snake. The bird wore a three-pointed crown and held a serrated claymore in its talons. Embossed on its chest was a downward-facing pentagram, a mark of evil.

The book was magically attempting to entice her. She could feel its presence, and its almost seductive magical powers. These efforts began to tug at her very curiosity, enticing her to open a book so unique and yet so morbid.

_I__do__not__know__anything__about__this__... __but__it__seems__powerful__in__any__case__..._ She thought, rubbing her chin.

_NO__! _She forced upon herself, resisting, pushing the book away with her hoof. _I__must__find__out__what__I__might__be__getting__into__first__._

She scanned the library, looking for a place to squirrel the book away. She jumped, realizing the perfect place. Emptying the neatly-organized legal section, she pulled a board out from behind the shelf. There was a four-inch gap in the darkness, which was just big enough to fit the volume in its entirety.

Twilight slid the book between two cigar boxes she hid behind the wall, within which resided a collection of gold and diamonds her parents gave her "in case she ever got into a spot of trouble." Not even Spike knew of the existence of this space, which was a blessing given his ravenous appetite for fine gems.

Twilight reassembled the legal books, finishing just as Spike walked into the room. "Hey Twilight whatcha doing?" Spike asked warmly

"Oh, you know, just organizing the library a little."

"Cool, cool. If you don't mind, I'm going to take a little nap"

"Okay Spike, have fun!"

Twilight dug deep through her library of historical texts, blowing dust off old pages, searching for any clues about the trunk, and the wax seal. Every once in awhile, she felt the magical pull towards the book again. She would turn to look directly at its shelf, shake her head and focus back on her studies.

"A history of Early Ponyville!" The unicorn exclaimed, flipping through a tattered brown Encyclopedia.

_Ponyville__was__first__settled__by__the__Apple__Family__, __prominent__Equestrian__farmers__who__discovered__the__Zap__Apple__for__which__Ponyville__was__renowned__. __The__Apple__family__was__followed__by__the__Reich__Family__, __who__changed__their__names__to__Rich__upon__their__Emigration__from__Hoofenheim__to__Ponyville__The__Family__Reich__were__wealthy__landholders__strongly__tied__to__the__Royal__Family__of__Hoofenheim__._

_Stinkend__Reich__, __who__changed__his__name__to__Stinking__Rich__was__the__first__settler__to__conduct__business__deals__with__the__Apple__Family__. __He__was__granted__much__of__the__land__which__is__now__Ponyville__from__Baron__Weswolf__Sigmal__Von__Hoofenheim__III__._

Twilight smiled, she had heard the name before.

"Sigmal... powerful unicorns indeed. Very very powerful..."

Twilight crept upstairs, finding Spike sound asleep. The burning desire to open the book continued to press upon her mind, as if it would be some sinful pleasure. As if her body was operating by itself, her legs pulled her unwilling and timid mind back to the shelf and retrieved the volume.

She rubbed her hooves slowly over the beautiful wax seal. It could only be broken once, and then it would be opened forever, though it was doubtful that anypony else would know or care. Still, something about that book caused a bit of her mind to resist its opening, to resist the release of whatever magic held itself within.

_It__'__s__just__a__book__after__all__..._ her desires demanded

_Don__'__t__do__it__, __you__don__'__t__comprehend__what__is__inside__._ Argued her inhibitions.

_You__open__other__books__, __Come__On__!_ A voice said in the back of her mind.

Twilight exhaled sharply, _JUST__DO__IT__!_ She thought _I__have__nothing__to__lose__._

She gently pried the wax off the crisp pages, watching cracks form in the Phoenix's wings. Suddenly, the bird within the seal began to flap its wings slowly even though it was merely a wax carving. Twilight rubbed her eyes, wondering if the bird was merely a hallucination before her.

In the moment when Twilight averted her eyes from the seal, the fiery phoenix disappeared from the carving within the wax. The wax seal itself began to glow red with magical energy, melting and dripping down her leg like a trickle of blood.

_It__'__s__too__late__now__..._ Twilight thought, slowly lifting the cover. Suddenly, a rush of wind and a blinding flash knocked her over and across the room. The book and Twilight landed across the library from each other as a fiery red phoenix rested upon her jade statue. The great bird towered over Twilight, its wings were made entirely of fire, though it had not *yet* ignited anything in the room.

Twilight, as if by instinct keeled on the ground to the magical being before her. "Rize, Tvilight Zparkle" The Phoenix boomed in a cold and heavily Germanish voice. "I am Fahrnuss Zigmal, ein Unikorn who vas of much power and great Magical influence. I zense das you are ein pony mit very much magikal talent. Am I korrekt?"

Twilight nodded "I am the personal protege' and top student of Princess Celestia herself"

"Junge Tvilight! Vhy i uzed to vield more pover zhan zie prinzesses zemselves, zhey merely defeated me mit trikery!"

Twilight looked to Varnuss with an expression of disbelief and scorn. He smiled.

"Vood you liek ein... Demonztration."

"Yes please!"

Varnuss' perked his head up at a sound upstairs. "Are ve alone?"

Twilight moved over to the library door, locking it she motioned over to Spike with a twist of her head. "Except for him..."

Twilight shot a bolt of magic at spike, sending him into the deepest sleep possible. "That should buy us a few hours of peace at least." She stated. "Why?"

The Phoenix closed his eyes and enveloped Twilight with a whirlwind of red magic. She could feel some sort of pain, though a pain she had never felt before. This pain was something inside her heart and mind, as if her very essence was being torn apart and divided.

Twilight opened her mouth to scream, but sensed that no sound actually was coming out. She quivered in fear as white strands of magic wormed their way out of her chest and swirled around the room. She felt more empty inside than ever before, as if a great part of her emotional fabric was just yanked out of her body.

In a few moments, the spell ended and she fell to the floor like a rag doll. She gasped and wheezed, rolling over to look at the Phoenix still standing over her with an expression of satisfaction written on his face. The strands of magic coalesced into a little white ball, which bounced around the room and lodged itself on the side of Twilight's favorite telescope.

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As the magical ball buried itself inside the metal of her telescope, Twilight turned to the phoenix and began to shout.

"What the hay was THAT?"

"WHAT did you do to me?"

"Vhy... I juzt granted you ein zort ov immortalitey, vaht vith I uzed to live vithin zhis book.

"wait... Immortality? But... Immortality is reserved for the princesses and none other. It is so closely guarded of a secret that even I cannot research it."

"Vell, i Kan't zay zhat you von't get old. Magix zho vill prevent zis aging and ze death fvrom age it'zelf. I, howwver kan make you immortal fvrom zudden death too, to an extent."

"To an extent? What do you mean... _an__extent__?_"

"Vell, vhat i du iz I maeke ohhh vaht izz ze vord in Eqveztrian... Seeletragenspeicher!"

"A sea-lah-tray-gehn-speich-er?" Twilight attempted to repeat Varnuss' pronunciation, but butchered the whole word, making Varnuss cringe slightly.

"Oh vor godt zake... juzt kall eet ein 'Speicher. Anyveh, I ript out a zingel pahrt ofv zhy zoul, und i FORCED eet eento ein objekt."

"do you mean... A horcrux?"

"Perhapz, zhough I havve nezvher heard of zis term befvor."

"Oh! It's from a story about a young Unicorn who... actually, nevermind."

"I azzume zhis iz leetterature?"

"Yes, but back to my question, why does this Horcrux make me immortal?"

"Oh, zimpel eet iz. Vehn or ifv ein pony diskoverz zhy Herrokruukzs zhey kann rezzurekt you. You kannot die vorever, vahn zomepony kan find you again."

At the word "Herrokruukzs, Twilight for the first time cringed slightly.

"Varnuss... please just call it 'ein 'speicher'. Also, Did... I resurrect you?"

"Een a way, zhough uuneententeeonallee. I vas alzo powwvervull enuff mit my magix, zhat I cann rezizt zhy invluenze.."

"And... why didn't you?"

"Because vehn you opened mein book, I zensed zomething. I zensed magikal talentz."

"Well not to be brash, but I am known for my magical ability and willingness to learn, but I still do not know why you are here with me... now."

"Vell Tvilight, you zeek knowledge bekause you have zhe povers ant talentz to preform inkredible feats of magik. Zhe only zhing is zhat you have not been inztrukted... properly."

Twilight thought for a moment. "I am intrigued, please go on"

"Tvilight, I offer you Knowledge zhat poverful, if mizunderstood, baht zhiz lesson kann be taut later vith bezzer rezult."

Twilight sighed and nodded. "Very well then." She retorted with a slight smile, turning towards the great black text from which Varnuss came.

"What kind of knowledge is within this book?" She asked, opening the first page.

The page was empty, as was the next one. Twilight stepped back in horror, flipping through the blank book with a look of frenzy and bewilderment. Twilight tossed it aside and looked towards the phoenix with an expression of bewilderment.

"The book... is empty?"

"Vell, I alvayz predikted zhat I vould hazve ein othzer ztudent, vith vhoom kann take notez ov her lezzons here."

"Lessons?"

"Vould ein pony az you rezizt learnig ze most powerful magic?"

Twilight looked up to the ceiling and trembled slightly. _But__isn__'__t__dark__magic__banned__in__the__kingdom__for__a__reason__?_ She thought to herself, worried about judgement or retaliation from the princesses.

Then again, She was always curious as to the magical spells hidden from her. She remembered long ago, when she pulled the wrong scroll from an archive shelf and found herself in a secret room. The room was filled with scrolls and books that oozed the same magical feeling...

Ever since she was a filly, she could not bear to learn of something and never learn as much as she could about the subject. She studied everything she could study meticulously.

The memory of that room flooded back to her. The frantic gasp of Princess Celestia when she saw the filly in the stacks. She never had the chance to open or touch a single scroll, but for weeks afterwards there were ponies observing her every move. Celestia insisted she never again speak a word of her tale to anypony.

"Not your parents, not your brother, not your teachers, not your FRIENDS." The princess whispered in her ear, her inflections were strong and ominous. "Dark magic is punishable by death."

"but... but then why is it here?"

"Ssshhhhh... listen, I want you to forget about this. If you can't just, keep it hidden for a long while. You haven't done anything but try and learn, and I cannot punish you for that..."

Twilight had nearly forgotten about the room, and the dark magic inside. Just as suddenly as she discovered the room, she discovered Varnuss, a window she could use to learn what she wished. _I__could__lose__my__life__for__this__... __for__my__love__of__knowledge__._

Suddenly, Twilight came to another realization. She was already touched by the magic. If the princesses discovered the spell cast upon her, she would already be toast. Besides, nopony would believe that she only opened the book and became immortal.

There were two ways forward, the time was now. A touch of dark magic would be enough to warrant her execution, as would involvement with the Sigmal family (if her suspicions were true). She could not take a middle road, it was either to abandon her curiosity and continue on knowing the magic she was supposed to know, or to learn all she could about an art nearly killed by hundreds and hundreds of years of the princess' efforts.

Twilight dropped to her knees and lowered her head. _This__is__my__choice__, __a__choice__of__life__and__death__, __of__dark__and__light__._

"You already gave me the power to cheat death, more than enough for me to be banished for, but I somehow can't help but want to learn... more"

"Zo your choize iz?"

"Teach me, be my master, and I will be your faithful student! I wish to learn!"

"Gud! Gud! Vunderbar! I vill teach you more powerful magiks zhan your veak little elements, more powerful zhan vhat ze prinzesses know. I only ask for vahn... _favor__!_"

The Phoenix stuck out its snake-like tongue. It was closest in emotion to a smile, though the gesture was more cold than Twilight was accustomed. Birds however were incapable of smiling, and the gesture itself gave Twilight a little bit of reassurance.

_He__still__has__a__soul__, __kindness__too__, __Like__the__princesses__he__can__co__-__exist__with__his__powers__._

"What is this favor?"

"Simple, Tvilight. I am unable to bekome ein pony again... alone. However if you verk vith me on zhe mere promize of my resurrektion, I vill teach you all ze magiks zhat I know."

"And what if I cannot?"

The Phoenix shook its head "You vill, I zenze zhe powver in zee pony befvor me, zhe juzt needz... direktion!"

Twilight smiled. "I am ready and willing to learn, if you give me the light to find my path, the tools to break the chains holding me back, and the strength to carry on ahead."

"Ausgezeichnet!" (Excellent) The Phoenix Exclaimed. He took flight, making a loop-de-loop in the middle of the library, diving into the book itself. As the magical bird collided with the pages, he disappeared with sparks of magical fury.

Twilight looked at the book once more, finding some of its pages graced with intricate but unintelligible script and diagrams.

"Varnuss?" Twilight pleaded "I cannot read this as it is!"

The book shuddered, flipping to the first page. The Phoenix was there, drawn into the pages as living and very detailed work from a fountain pen. The bird blinked, sending a red magical spark straight at Twilight's head.

Twilight ducked away from the magic by instinct, and the magical bolt struck the other side of the room with a dull thud. Sparks of residual magic fell to the floor, soaking into the wood of her treehouse.

"HOLD ZTILL" The phoenix shouted, sending another jolt of magic towards Twilight. The magic hit her between the eyes, sending her into a temporary stupor. She blinked over and over until her vision snapped into focus.

_Something__feels__different__..._

Twilight turned the page, realizing that she could understand the ancient runes. They were not a language after all, the runes were magic, in written form. Twilight couldn't believe her eyes, all her life magic was taught to her as if it was some process she had to memorize and practice.

Like a spark of lightning, or a flash of fire, the world of magical powers became ever more clear. Spells were no longer a task that one only learns from practice, they were a language, plain and simple, the language of the magical world.

Twilight flipped through the book, which aged after every page turned. The crisp white pages were aged well, no longer magically concealed. Pages detailing rituals were often stained with blood or the occasional spilled potion.

"If ve are to begin, I vish to teach du in ze most secure lokale pozzible. Have du zuch a plaze?"

Twilight looked out the window, thinking over all the options in her head. She thought of accessible basements and caves, but even with those there always ran the risk of a sudden appearance or dumb luck. Suddenly, a thought popped in her head, a place to which Ponies tend to avoid altogether.

_Yes__, __Yes__indeed__!_ She thought finding the location almost perfect for their purposes.

"We could try the Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, but it is a long walk..."

Varnuss laughed maniacally. "Vhy I vill give you a qvick lezzon on ze teleportation! With vich ve can travel!"

Twilight smiled and nodded eagerly.

"Hier, flip zu page...Three hundert vourteen!"

Twilight obliged, finding a page filled with runes that felt familiar. A tiny emblem of Varnuss as a phoenix rested in the margin of the page, waiting for Twilight to sit down. As she did, he strutted over the ancient text and pointed out a sigil drawin into the pages.

"Ze here... zis is ze language of magic, vaht you hast gelernt."

Twilight nodded "So how do I use it?"

Varnuss flapped his wings, scooting downwards on the page. "Meerly conzentrate not on ze place vich du intend to be, but conzentrate on where du aren'st."

"So focus on where I teleport OVER instead of where I end up?"

"JA! Es ist nicht zo... easy, but es ist besser. Here... use zis spell, it vill help."

With that Varnuss underlined a few runes with the swipe of his firey wing, which left a dark ink outline in the paper. The ink itself looked exactly the same as that on the pages before, in fact it was so similar that Twilight could only help but ask the question on her mind.

"Varnuss... did you write all of this?"

"Vell, vhat elze vood ein unikorn do vehn he iz banizhed tu ein buuk vor vife hundert yearz?"

Twilight continued to study the runes, though she still did not quite comprehend what she was supposed to learn from sigils drawn into the book. She studied them for meaning, and attmepted to memorize the picture but it did not seem to sink into her mind as she intended.

Suddenly, the meaning of the rune snapped into her mind as clear as day. It was not something to memorize or repeat, but it was a diagram by which her magic could be instructed to flow in the world. She closed her eyes and began to probe the world with her magic, feeling pathways she never knew existed.

Without even realizing it, the picture of the rune popped into her mind as she was performing magic. This was followed by a sudden clammy sensation as the world beneath her hooves changed. Twilight, confused, opened to a different setting, the inside of a decrepit stone castle that she remembered from times before.

"Did I just...?"

"Yez! Zhy magikal zkill ist Vunderbar!"

Twilight shuddered when she comprehended what she had just unintentionally done. She had never teleported that far, but just did so with the slightest effort. The sudden realization of her power hit her like a freight train, that she could do the impossible with ease.

She still could not believe the truth that stood blatantly before her. The cold embrace of stone upon her hooves and the draft blowing through the broken window were not enough for her to believe the extent of her limitless power. All Twilight could do was stare at her hooves, comprehending the possibilities before her.

"Varnuss... how?"

The book in her saddlebag laughed "My dearest Tvilight, ve are jusst beginning!"

"Vunderbar!" Twilight exclaimed proudly "I mean Wonderful!" Her quick snap to correct herself did nothing to conceal the previous utterance. Varnuss chuckled, exiting her saddlebag in the form of a red whirlwind of magical dust. It concentrated in the middle of the library, taking the form of a phoenix and materializing into the fiery bird.

Twilight blushed lightly, a sight which made the phoenix laugh and brush the tip of his fiery wing across her cheek. The fire did not burn her, though it was warmer than the surrounding room. It felt to her as a feather would, caressing her face so gently and softly, that she could not help but blush even more.


	3. Chapter 2 The last diary of T Sparkle

_Dear__unknown__unicorn__ -_

"UGH!" Twilight magically ripped out another page from a new blank book. "Okay one more try, it's hard to start writing a series of letters and notes to somepony I don't even know"

_This__is__a__recording__written__by__Twilight__sparkle__. __I__have__discovered__a__chest__containing__a__book__which__held__Varnuss__Sigmal__, __a__phoenix__which__is__the__spirit__of__a__deceased__unicorn__. __I__understand__he__is__at__least__ 500 __years__old__, __but__I__have__found__no__records__of__his__birth__. __I__am__sure__a__search__in__the__Hoofenheim__archives__would__shed__some__light__on__this__, __But__I__have__not__looked__into__it__myself__. __More__importantly__he__offered__to__teach__me__the__ways__of__ancient__magic__. __Just__today__I__teleported__farther__than__I__thought__possible__, __by__reading__the__ancient__runes__within__the__book__. __If__you__are__reading__this__then__either__you__are__a__worthy__unicorn__seeking__knowledge__or__you__'__re__Spike__thinking__it__would__be__funny__to__touch__things__I__tell__you__not__to__._

_If__you__'__re__a__pony__then__keep__these__books__ (__when__I__know__I__'__m__nearing__the__end__of__my__life__I__intend__to__attach__the__before__mentioned__book__to__this__one__and__pass__it__onto__a__pony__with__instruction__to__either__give__it__to__another__pony__or__read__it__themselves__.) __cherish__these__books__forever__and__keep__them__to__yourself__. __If__you__'__re__worthy__then__Varnuss__will__teach__you__how__to__use__the__ancient__magic__. __let__nopony__else__see__these__until__it__'__s__time__for__you__to__pass__them__on__to__another__pony__who__should__learn__the__old__ways__of__the__magical__arts__._

_Day__two__._

_Today__Varnuss__taught__me__to__concentrate__more__on__the__spells__and__the__ruins__rather__than__what__I__'__m__trying__to__use__them__on__ "__Ef__you__do__et__right__, __then__it__'__s__like__zed__magik__verks__it__'__zelf__."_

_I__sent__out__my__assistant__Spike__so__he__wouldn__'__t__find__out__about__Varnuss__or__the__book__. __I__fear__that__he__might__interfere__if__not__object__to__Varnuss__educating__me__in__the__old__ways__of__spellcraft__._

_We__set__up__a__row__of__beautiful__red__apples__on__a__table__, __and__Varnus__asked__me__to__split__them__in__half__from__across__the__room__. __I__thought__this__was__a__simple__task__for__a__Unicorn__such__as__me__. __I__used__my__ability__to__levitate__the__apple__, __and__tried__to__pull__it__in__half__with__the__same__spell__like__Shining__Armor__did__for__me__at__close__range__. __I__soon__discovered__this__to__be__difficult__, __if__not__impossible__by__my__method__. __As__it__turns__out__I__was__only__able__to__do__this__when__the__Apple__was__close__by__. __Varnus__showed__me__a__simple__cutting__spell__to__help__explain__what__he__was__trying__to__teach__._

_I__have__fallen__for__his__Accent__, __his__voice__, __and__that__gleam__in__his__eye__. __When__he__speaks__, __I__listen__, __and__his__way__of__pronouncing__everything__sticks__in__my__mind__in__the__most__wonderful__, __almsot__magical__, __way__. "__enstead__of__ze__appfel__, __think__of__ze__spell__, __ze__runez__, __vhat__eet__dos__, __what__eet__is__for__. __If__you__keep__ze__appfel__in__mind__but__vocous__on__zhe__zspell__, __eet__vill__do__vhat__you__vish__." __I__did__exactly__as__he__instructed__, __I__looked__at__the__apple__and__thought__of__the__spell__, __picturing__the__rune__he__showed__me__for__the__spell__._

_In__an__instant__I__involuntarily__thought__of__all__the__possible__uses__for__the__spell__at__once__and__the__apple__was__sliced__cleanly__in__half__by__a__translucent__blade__of__white__magic__. __The__apple__fell__into__six__even__slices__, __with__the__core__seperated__from__the__rest__of__the__flesh__. __I__realized__that__this__was__exactly__how__I__sliced__an__Apple__for__eating__, __for__my__friends__or__alone__. __The__magic__knew__what__I__wanted__without__me__needing__to__consciously__think__about__it__, __and__it__would__enact__my__will__to__the__letter__if__I__let__it__._

_Varnuss__, __seeing__my__success__with__apples__, __suggested__ "__It__'__z__no__gud__to__vaste__das__food__, __besides__et__'__s__much__more__fun__to__practize__on__a__moving__tahgit__." __When__his__gaze__fixed__on__a__mouse__scurrying__across__the__stone__floor__, __I__instantly__knew__what__he__was__asking__. __Without__giving__it__second__thought__, __I__split__the__mouse__down__the__middle__with__a__magical__blade__. __Its__protesting__squeals__, __and__the__sight__of__its__beating__heart__drove__me__nearly__to__tears__. __I__don__'__t__think__Varnuss__saw__my__expression__, __but__I__felt__as__if__I__had__to__talk__to__him__about__such__things__._

_I__asked__Varnuss__if__my__love__for__animals__bothered__him__, __and__while__he__insisted__that__it__was__not__the__case__, __something__in__his__eyes__was__more__dull__than__before__. __I__eagerly__await__tomorrow__'__s__lessons__with__Varnuss__, __and__I__do__hope__he__is__not__gravely__offended__or__convinced__that__I__am__weak__in__spirit__. __I__would__certainly__hate__for__that__display__of__foolish__kindness__to__spoil__my__chance__to__learn__all__that__I__can__._

_Day__three__._

_Today__Varnuss__and__I__practiced__advanced__teleportation__spells__some__more__. __I__went__out__and__teleported__all__over__Ponyville__, __to__Canterlot__, __Fillydelphia__, __Appleoosa__and__back__home__, __in__one__day__! __I__was__able__to__teleport__to__my__friend__'__s__houses__then__out__of__town__and__most__all__over__equestria__. __normally__I__'__d__be__exhausted__from__teleporting__from__one__friend__'__s__house__, __to__another__'__s__, __to__another__'__s__. __Like__the__apple__, __all__that__was__required__was__for__me__to__pictured__the__sigil__, __or__the__rune__all__while__keeping__the__trip__in__mind__. __In__a__flash__of__magic__, __I__would__travel__to__where__I__wanted__to__be__, __with__very__little__effort__on__my__part__. __The__runes__within__Varnuss__' __magical__book__have__begun__speaking__to__me__in__my__sleep__. __It__is__not__Varnuss__, __I__can__tell__because__the__runes__have__their__own__voices__, __like__little__tiny__specks__of__conscience__inside__my__mind__. __They__are__mostly__a__background__noise__in__my__thoughts__, __but__when__I__used__the__teleportation__rune__, __its__distinct__voice__and__words__stuck__out__in__my__mind__._

_Varnuss__says__that__tomorrow__we__'__ll__spend__some__time__memorizing__and__studying__the__different__runes__and__spells__._

_Day__five__._

_I__asked__Varnuss__about__the__voices__. __He__says__that__they__are__harmless__, __and__hundreds__of__years__of__practice__with__runes__has__yet__to__drive__a__pony__mad__. __The__voices__will__instead__act__as__magical__advisors__, __and__they__are__merely__the__collective__conscience__of__the__magical__artists__that__crafted__the__runes__so__long__ago__._

_After__a__day__of__reading__and__memorizing__spells__, __Varnuss__encouraged__me__to__practice__some__of__the__more__simple__spells__. __I__was__able__to__get__spike__to__fall__asleep__whenever__I__wanted__. __With__a__number__of__spells__and__a__little__telepathic__vision__, __I__was__able__to__cook__a__delicious__meal__out__of__what__was__in__the__kitchen__, __all__while__I__just__relaxed__in__my__bed__. __Some__of__the__food__the__magic__discovered__were__things__I__didn__'__t__even__remember__having__in__the__first__place__, __yet__my__magic__knew__. __It__unnerved__me__a__little__bit__that__I__knew__so__much__more__than__I__realized__if__only__through__my__magic__. __On__the__other__hand__, __I__was__glad__that__we__still__had__some__marshmallows__left__._

_Day__Six_

_Today__Varnus__taught__me__a__Spell__that__lets__me__become__invisible__. __It__was__simpler__than__I__thought__it__would__be__. __The__invisibility__rune__differed__from__the__others__in__the__way__it__could__be__used__most__effectively__. __When__I__thought__of__the__spell__, __I__had__a__brief__vision__that__I__was__using__the__spell__to__sneak__past__a__couple__guards__. __It__'__s__like__I__thought__of__specific__but__imaginary__situations__and__examples__for__the__Rune__'__s__use__, __rather__than__the__situation__I__was__using__it__for__presently__._

_I__used__my__invisibility__to__play__some__pranks__on__spike__, __I__told__him__I__was__going__out__, __but__I__became__invisible__and__sneaked__back__inside__. __I__teleported__back__inside__so__that__my__assistant__wouldn__'__t__hear__or__see__the__door__open__and__close__without__a__pony__. __Spike__was__totally__unaware__of__my__presence__, __and__I__was__able__to__spy__on__him__a__little__bit__to__see__what__he__does__when__he__'__s__alone__. __I__must__say__that__some__of__what__he__does__can__be__entertaining__to__watch__, __but__many__of__his__actions__are__quite__disgusting__. (__On__a__side__-__note__, __I__need__to__remind__myself__to__NEVER__eat__that__ice__-__cream__again__) __I__finally__revealed__myself__behind__him__when__he__was__checking__out__his__own__muscles__in__a__mirror__. __He__was__so__wonderfully__startled__, __that__he__almost__had__a__heart__attack__. __I__swear__that__he__jumped__so__high__that__he__hit__his__little__head__on__the__ceiling__. __I__had__a__laugh__at__his__expense__and__I__thought__I__heard__Varnuss__' __subtle__chuckle__coming__from__my__saddlebag__. __Spike__, __however__, __wasn__'__t__too__impressed__with__my__use__of__magic__to__prank__him__. __He__wasn__'__t__too__angry__though__, __and__I__'__m__sure__he__'__ll__get__over__it__in__a__little__while__._

_Day__seven__._

_Today__Varnuss__and__I__wer__- _*The page was charred to an unreadable level by magical fire* The only readable words, on the nearly destroyed page are these.

_manipulation__lightning_

_amazing__feeling_

a euphoria

unruly

town hall

_Day__eleven__._

_After__what__happened__last__week__I__decided__to__lay__low__with__the__magic__for__a__while__. __My__friends__were__complaining__on__how__I__haven__'__t__been__hanging__out__with__them__. __I__naturally__cannot__tell__them__why__, __and__I__must__avoid__discovery__, __though__I__admit__I__have__lacked__their__company__for__a__little__while__. __I__told__Varnuss__that__I__should__spend__some__time__with__them__to__keep__them__from__getting__suspicious__, __though__in__truth__I__also__wished__to__visit__them__and__enjoy__their__company__. __He__agreed__, __commenting__that__ "__Ve__don__'__t__need__zese__sezzions__to__be__dizkovered__yet__mein__Student__". __I__spent__a__couple__of__days__with__my__friends__, __though__at__many__times__I__thought__of__how__I__'__d__rather__be__studying__and__practising__with__Varnuss__and__his__runes__._

_Upon__reflection__, __I__am__beginning__to__wonder__if__I__am__falling__for__him__. __Maybe__it__is__just__me__, __but__he__seems__fond__of__me__, __and__he__genuinely__seems__to__enjoy__teaching__me__things__. __There__is__something__magical__about__his__voice__and__his__very__presence__that__sends__me__to__... __a__different__place__. __I__can__'__t__say__I__love__him__, __but__there__are__moments__where__I__find__myself__daydreaming__, __most__peacefully__in__fact__, __about__him__. __Perhaps__it__is__just__a__ploy__, __leading__me__on__a__little__so__that__I__will__dutifully__return__him__to__his__rightful__body__, __but__somehow__... __I__cannot__think__that__this__is__possible__. __Perhaps__I__am__overthinking__things__, __but__In__any__case__, __time__will__tell__..._

_It__'__s__been__what__? __five__days__since__I__last__wrote__in__here__. __Tomorrow__, __I__think__I__can__make__some__time__to__spend__with__my__new__friend__and__book__while__Rarity__and__Fluttershy__try__and__drag__Rainbow__Dash__to__the__spa__again__._

_Day__twelve__._

_I__decided__to__tell__everypony__that__I__was__going__on__a__holiday__for__a__while__. __I__made__up__several__plausible__stories__, __careful__to__interlock__each__story__, __but__to__also__keep__storylines__consistent__among__friends__that__I__knew__would__talk__to__each__other__. __I__am__so__clever__ ... _

_On__the__other__hoof__, __lying__to__the__ponies__that__trust__me__so__very__much__was__not__exactly__something__I__was__eager__to__do__. __There__was__no__alternative__option__though__, __I__cannot__delay__my__studies__too__much__, __and__I__cannot__just__abandon__my__friends__either__. __I__trust__that__they__will__forgive__me__for__this__, __though__they__may__be__slightly__hurt__. __Little__memories__like__these__are__often__the__most__painful__, __little__jabs__on__the__soul__that__one__carries__for__surprisingly__long__, __often__until__death__. __Perhaps__, __however__my__friends__will__never__find__out__, __though__I__do__not__know__if__that__is__worse__than__them__confronting__me__._

_I__actually__talked__to__Varnuss__about__this__. __I__was__initially__afraid__he__would__be__offended__by__my__weakness__, __but__he__told__me__of__his__regrets__. __For__somepony__who__was__executed__for__practicing__evil__magic__, __Varnuss__has__a__surprising__amount__of__soul__. __His__sincerest__hope__is__that__he__can__make__some__level__of__amends__for__what__happened__so__long__ago__. __Unfortunately__, __he__has__no__idea__how__to__find__his__sister__, __if__she__is__even__alive__._

_I__'__ve__decided__to__retreat__to__the__tower__that__I__went__to__with__Varnuss__on__the__first__day__. __At__the__old__ruins__of__the__ancient__castle__in__which__the__Royal__sisters__once__lived__. __I__thought__that__If__I__came__here__then__I__could__study__the__old__magic__without__interruption__or__suspicion__. __We__spent__the__rest__of__today__using__magic__to__set__up__the__place__a__little__bit__. __Making__the__crumbling__building__stable__enough__for__our__short__stay__was__a__bit__of__a__chore__, __but__Varnuss__and__I__were__able__to__get__most__of__everything__done__today__. __We__'__ve__got__two__beds__, __a__dining__table__, __and__all__the__other__items__we__need__to__stay__up__here__for__a__little__while__._

_I__'__m__rather__excited__for__the__next__few__weeks__ahead__: __just__me__, __and__Varnuss__, __with__no__other__distractions__. __We__surely__will__not__be__bothered__here__, __in__an__abandoned__castle__in__the__middle__of__the__Everfree__forest__, __which__is__just__the__perfect__place__for__our__work__._

_Varnuss__promised__that__he__'__ll__teach__me__a__powerful__new__spell__tomorrow__. __I__can__'__t__wait__but__he__won__'__t__tell__me__more__.._

_Day__Thirteen_

_Today__Varnuss__taught__me__how__to__create__weapons__, __but__not__ones__of__steel__that__an__earthpony__might__use__. __The__first__weapons__I__was__able__to__conjure__were__magical__spikes__that__attached__to__the__ends__of__my__front__hooves__, __they__were__about__half__a__forelegs__length__and__looked__almost__like__they__were__made__of__Amber__coloured__glass__. __I__could__just__imagine__running__them__through__a__pony__'__s__skull__and__chest__. __In__fact__that__'__s__how__I__was__able__to__create__them__, __along__with__the__right__spell__of__course__._

_Soon__, __I__was__able__to__create__a__whole__range__of__Hoof__weapons__such__as__Spiked__shoes__, __spears__, __and__specialty__weapons__of__my__own__design__. __All__of__these__instruments__were__forged__of__glowing__glass__with__vibrant__colors__, __though__they__weighed__almost__nothing__to__me__. __One__of__my__favorites__to__wield__was__a__collar__that__had__two__skewers__which__wrapped__under__my__forearms__and__extended__forward__parallel__with__my__chest__. __Another__particularly__interesting__one__was__a__ball__, __no__bigger__in__circumference__than__of__one__of__my__hooves__._

_The__ball__was__spiked__and__was__attached__to__the__end__of__my__tail__, __though__magical__protections__extended__along__the__length__of__my__tail__as__well__. __Unlike__the__other__weightless__weapons__, __the__ball__seemed__to__have__the__perfect__amount__of__weight__to__get__a__good__swing__, __but__it__wasn__'__t__bothersome__at__all__. __most__of__the__weapons__were__different__colours__, __and__the__best__part__is__that__these__described__aren__'__t__even__a__small__fraction__of__the__possible__weapon__combinations__. __Varnuss__said__ "__Eef__you__kann__imagine__yourzelf__uzing__a__veapon__upon__anozher__pony__, __zhen__you__kann__hav__zhat__veapon__vhenever__you__pleaze__!" __I__have__some__good__ideas__already__, __especially__some__ideas__from__stories__and__books__I__used__to__read__._

_Varnuss__kept__to__his__word__with__me__and__animals__, __and__I__came__to__the__realization__that__he__is__not__actually__bothered__by__my__nature__. __I__think__I__remind__him__of__somepony__he__lost__to__time__, __though__he__refuses__to__tell__me__who__. __Admittedly__, __I__almost__thought__smashing__a__living__critter__it__to__test__that__heavy__ball__, __but__no__suitable__critters__were__around__at__the__moment__to__crush__. __Then__again__, __I__don__'__t__think__I__have__it__in__me__to__kill__an__innocent__creature__for__no__reason__, __and__I__do__not__believe__varnuss__is__that__way__either__. __Varnuss__is__a__predator__, __not__a__killer__, __the__difference__is__his__survival__. __I__worry__about__him__though__, __there__is__a__distinct__heaviness__hidden__under__his__iron__will__and__mind__, __and__I__think__there__may__be__components__to__his__story__that__he__may__never__come__to__terms__with__._


	4. Chapter 3 Rarity and Murder

Twilight and Varnuss relaxed in the re-purposed tower of the castle, which they had fixed up to a livable standard with magic. The ancient structure was still largely solid, reflecting a pride of craftsmanship lost to her generation. The windows and doors were replaced with softly ebbing pink barriers, designed to let Her and Varnuss through but hold back the wind and cold of night.

The room which they resided in was formerly Celestia's tower, given away from the occasional occurrence of her Cutie mark carved into the stoneworks. No furniture from that era remained, but Twilight and Varnuss were able to craft what they needed from magic alone. In the spirit of elegance and style, everything they crafted was forged from black onyx and felt very solid.

A fire crackled heartily in an elegant marble fireplace, left intact from when Celestia resided in this very room. A single bed faced the fire, neatly made and very comfortable from her fettling nature. Twilight and Varnuss stood in the center, looking down at the lifeless body of a rat lying between them.

The white rat lay on its back, with its beady black eyes wide open in a look that resembled surprise and terror. Its fur was lightly singed with the magical fire that had fried it previously, Varnuss' work. Twilight looked over the little creature, and turned back to Varnuss. After receiving an encouraging nod from the phoenix, she took a deep breath and continued.

Twilight concentrated on her magic, and focused on the lifeless body. She thought of her runes and sent a delicate purple stream of magic towards the creature. The magical beam widened and gained strength as it began to force the rat back to life again.

"Vunderbar mein student!" The Phoenix exclaimed, watching the rat's eyes twitch as it gained consciousness.

After the rat gained its sense of the world, it whirled itself over with a flick of energy and scurried away. The white body skittered across the bare stone floors, making a smear of blood on the once pristine tiles. Varnuss took to his wings, chasing it down with ease. With an excited scream, the Phoenix dove towards the little creature, with his talons drawn and ready.

Varnuss sank his sharp talons into the rat's fleshy form as easily as if it was made of butter. He jerked the creature off the ground and snapped its neck in midair with a sharp crunch. Twilight laughed coldly as Varnuss dropped the creature, landing on the floor with a dull thud.

She did not know why she laughed, it was not humorous or exactly pleasurable. Somehow, however, the sight of the dead rat that she had just revived falling to the ground made her realise that she was a master of life and death. Never before had Twilight witnessed the amazing capabilities she and Varnuss possessed, and never before had she experienced such a rush.

The electric feeling of possibility and power filled Twilight with an intense sense of sinful joy and ecstasy. She smiled to her master, Varnuss, the very phoenix who brought her such capability and pleasures. The very sight of her smile was all he needed to understand the feelings his student was experiencing, that same rush he felt long before upon the discovery of his talents.

Twilight and Varnuss looked at each other for a long time, not needing words to communicate their mutual thoughts and aspirations. Another thought popped into Twilight's head, a thought that she never dreamed she would have experienced.

_Celestia__cheated__me__, __she__hid__this__power__and__kept__it__secret__, __for__herself__and__Luna__alone__... __but__why__?_

Varnuss smiled, seeing the conflicting emotions written upon her face. "Vhy Tvilight, vat iz on zy mind?"

"Oh... I was reflecting upon my previous teacher, Celestia."

"Ah, and I vould zuppoze zhat you arre vondering iv you havve been... vaht iz eet, mizled?"

"Yes... though I feel more cheated than misled, almost... patronized by my teacher.""

"Vell, Ziz Prinzess Seleztia, zhe doez revuze dark magik herzelf, baht zhe alzo kept it ein zekret from her bezt ztudent. I vould zay zhat better teacherz arre available!"

Twilight nodded. "I still owe a lot to her, though... she taught me many things and I still am in her debt for that, believing in me and all."

"Zhiz may be troo, but iv you vere indeed zhe perzonal proteejee of zis Seleztia, zhen why woould zhe zend you to zhis zmall town to ztudy 'friends'?"

Twilight paused for a moment, deep in thought. Varnuss' words were not hurtful or insulting, but they troubled her to a grave degree. He was right, after all, she had felt somewhat snubbed by the princess in the past two years. Her friends were very nice and all, but the events of the Grand Galloping Gala, and the startlingly few letters returned from her princess were facts of her existence that Twilight did not dwell on until now.

Twilight did not feel abandoned by Celestia, though she did feel somewhat isolated in Ponyville. The small town atmosphere was no match for her home in Canterlot. In a sense, Twilight suddenly felt like she was given busywork. Though the elements of harmony had already come in handy before, but aside from helping save Equestria every once in a while, she had no real... day-to-day sense of purpose like she used to.

"So Varnuss, what now?"

"You are almost ready to rezurekt me, but zhere are more complicazions zhen you might realize mein student." Varnuss rattled on. "I believe however zhat if you are villing, ve vill practice ze rezzurektion mit ein... pony."

"Anything for you, Varnuss" Twilight vowed "Do you want me to deliver the killing blow?"

Varnuss nodded, pleased to see that his Student was taking to her powers and capabilities. Nothing but that question could have made the ancient necromancer more pleased. Though he knew that Twilight had much to learn and so much distance to cover before she could be useful, the mere fact that his student could harbor such eagerness to prove her powers to the world was all Varnuss needed to know he was on the right track.

"You havve learned much, mein student. It vould be my pleazure to give you ze honor. I vould honeztly razher stay hier in zhis caztle, vhile you komm mit ze body. All zat I azk is zhat die pony iz ein Unikorn, mit much magik und great powver.

Twilight nodded, looking to the dark of night outside towards the diffuse glow made by ponyville. "I have just the pony in mind!"

Twilight licked her lips, thinking about the Pony upon which she was about to tear to pieces and reassemble. She smiled at the thought of destroying her beautiful form if only to reconstruct her.

"Vunderbar!" Varnuss exclaimed, "Bring zis Unikorn back to me, zo I kann prepare, und zhen you vill kill und Rezzurekt!"

Twilight nodded and teleported off into the night, coming to a halt in front of the Carousel Boutique with a very soft thud. She laid her ear on the door, listening intently to the sound of a magical sewing machine trundling away inside. "That pony never sleeps!" She chuckled, allowing a sly smile to creep across her face.

Twilight closed her eyes, thinking about the new invisibility spell. She began to feel herself melding into the darkness of night and the shadows around her, until she realized that even she could no longer see herself. The world became silent, still and cold, as Twilight crept into an open window.

Rarity was so absorbed in her work, that she did not notice the strange pitter-patter of hooves on the carpet inside. Twilight came closer, and closer to the beautiful white unicorn. So far everything was going well, until Twilight's front hoof came to a halt at the strange feeling of soft fluffy fur.

Twilight looked down, finding that she had just knocked into the Sleeping form of Opalescence. The white cat hissed harshly at her invisible form, recognizing her smell and the sound of her soft breathing.

_Oh__... __no__._ Twilight thought, retreating backwards in desperation.

Fortunately, the sleep deprived Rarity did not seem alarmed at all. She merely pushed away from her sewing table and procured a catnip mouse to calm the agitated cat. Opalescence raised her right paw lazily, batting at the toy slowly. The strong odor of catnip distracted the lazy creature from Twilight's scent.

Rarity left the toy mouse with Opal, who rolled to her stomach and slowly whacked the mouse from paw to paw. The sight of the lazy creature's playing made a smile grace Rarity's face before she resumed her dressmaking. Twilight, reassured and confident, approached Rarity's sewing table, coming closer and closer still.

Twilight scanned the room for a weapon. _I__could__make__one__with__magic__... __but__I__might__lose__my__invisibility__._ She debated to herself. _Too__risky__._

A glint of red fabric caught the corner of twilight's eyes. It was a satin sash, beautifully sewn and intricately bordered. Twilight grabbed it with her magic, silently as to not startle Rarity, and brought the sash behind Rarity's neck. Twilight waited just for the right moment, for Rarity to notice the reflection of a floating sash in the white covering of her sewing machine.

Rarity turned around to look at the floating scarf, giving Twilight the perfect opportunity. With a swift motion from her hooves, she wrapped the sash around Rarity's thin neck. Rarity gasped for air, feeling all the way around the taught red cloth for where the ends met. Rarity looked into a mirror, seeing her reflection, being choked by a sash with no pony behind her.

Rarity's strength began to fade. The sash only became mercilessly tighter and tighter around her neck, causing the vessels in the Unicorn's forehead to throb and her head to ache. Rarity grabbed at the air, knocking her sewing machine to the floor.

Brilliant and colorful hallucinations began to replace Rarity's perceptions of the outside world, and even those failed as her mind began to slip into blackness. A bright spot of light appeared in her vision, the light at the end of the tunnel, then all went black.

Twilight released her invisibility spell, and slowly let the red sash release its grip off the unconscious body of rarity. She sighed, looking over her friend. She could have kept pulling at the sash, only for a few more seconds, and Rarity would have been as good as dead. Still, Twilight could not bear to give her friend such a dishonorable death, even if she was to be saved later.

With a flash of Magic, Twilight teleported back to the castle, dropping Rarity's unconscious form on the middle of the cold stone floor. Rarity was breathing slowly and steadily, her chest rising and falling as she lay in front of Twilight's hooves.

Twilight bowed to Varnuss over Rarity, giving her master a smile slightly weakened by exhaustion from her teleportation and the fight. Still, Varnuss' encouraging nod indicated he expected more from her, and Twilight came to the realization that she had only just begun.

"You havve donn vell, mein Student!"

"Thank you, Master Varnuss."

"Noww, do ve remember our runez vith vich ve bind zis pony to an objekt?"

Twilight nodded eagerly.

"Zehn, letz give eet a try, shall ve?"

"But Varnuss, I have never done this on even an animal before, is it not risky to try on a pony first?"

"Vell, eet iz risky vor her, ja?"

"Oh, that shoudn't be a problem for me then!"

"If ve are to rezzurekt me, ve must bind zis... pony to an objekt and zhen deztroy her body."

_Such__a__strange__dream__I__had__last__night__. _Rarity thought to herself as she rolled out of bed. Opalescence chased a bug around the boutique.

"A bug! A dirty, HORRIBLE, disgusting BUG!" Rarity whined, heading into the kitchen.

Rarity reached for a drawer handle, finding it impossible to open. Her hoof melted through the drawer and through the items inside. She stared at her hoof in disbelief and attempted to open her drawer again, but with the same result.

Rarity ran over to the mirror, looking to herself. She was shimmery and only partly visible, an apparition. With a deep breath, she began to walk towards the mirror, refusing to stop. She could sense her body fading from existence, as her reflection also revealed things in the room behind her.

Instead of walking into the glass, she passed through it like a ghastly mist. There was no sensation or resistance, she merely passed through the glass as easily as if it were air.

"I think... I might be... dead"

Rarity fell to the floor, as Tears began to stream out of her eyes, disappearing as soon as they struck the cold kitchen floor. Opalescence did not even notice her presence in the boutique anymore, and at one point walked straight through her.

Rarity did not notice the black ropes creeping along the kitchen floor like snakes on the hunt until it was too late. Unlike everything else, the magical ropes stretched towards her with obvious intent

In desperation, Rarity attempted to use her magic to fight the ropes. She was able to keep them at bay, not realizing one rope behind her, which encircled her entire rear leg. In a flash, it was over and Rarity was trapped completely. The ropes suddenly grew taught, pulling the struggling unicorn to the next room.

In the middle of the sewing room there stood a gaping portal, lined with fire. The ropes were retracting into the swirling blackness, and Rarity was unable to fight against their will. She could feel the pull of the portal the closer she drew to it, as if it were clinging to her, pulling her in.

Beyond the portal was nothing but a cold and foreboding blackness. Soon, she could only feel but one sensation, a deep inner pain that filled her entire form. This was no ordinary pain, not one of the flesh being cut or burned, but a pain inside what she knew to be her.

The pain was as if her emotions and feelings were being ripped apart, torn by magical hands. Rarity began to feel a coldness in parts of her mind that she thought she always possessed, and some of her most cherished memories began to fade and erode away.

_WHAT__IS__HAPPENING__TO__ME__?_ She thought to herself, as the very components of her heart and mind were being stolen, stolen by an invisible force more powerful than she.

"Tvilight! Mein student, you are bekoming ein artizt mit die magik!" Varnuss praised her, as she worked the multiple powerful spells required to seperate a soul from its fleshy tomb and bring it forward.

Varnuss smiled at his student's developing feelings of self interest and pride. He made a slight bow and stepped backward, allowing Twilight to focus on her work at hand. Rarity breathed slowly as Twilight began to wrap her in magic, seperating the components of her heart from the flesh of her body.

Twilight's magic ripped out a ball of pure white magic from Rarity, suspending it into the air. The task itself was difficult for her, in fact it was about the most difficult magic she had ever encountered. It was not a matter of strength, but a matter of precision and timing.

For a second, Twilight almost dropped the white ball. Her magic faded, and the very soul of Rarity came damn near to smashing itself on the floor. Varnuss did nothing to save Rarity, as there was no risk if she was destroyed.

Varnuss picked up a small stone from the table, dropping it at Twilight's hooves with a clank. The stone was dirty, covered in a layer of mud and dust from the ground to which it was ripped. He nodded to Twilight, making his intentions clear.

"Eet iz hardezt zu bind ein pony zu ein objekt das ist nicht... perzonal to zem. Zhis rock vill do just vine"

With more delicate motions of magic, guided by the runes, Twilight shifted the white ball of magic and forced it towards the dirty rock. The little ball squealed sharply as it came closer to the ugly stone, behaving just as Rarity would, for it was her soul after all. It was a lot of effort, but with one final push, she forced the ball into the stone.

Twilight released the magic, breathing deeply and slowly.

"Did.. I do well, Master?" She gasped between breaths of stress and exhilaration.

"Yez, yez, but now ve must deztroy Ze body or elze ve might aqvire two of zese unikornz."


	5. Chapter 3 Part 2 Rarity and Ressurection

Twilight lay a good distance away from the physical form of Rarity. Having removed her essence in its entirety had killed her, as opposed to when Varnuss had just removed a piece of Twilight.

Summoning the strength to stand, Twilight moved closer to Rarity, looking over her body one last time. She began to grow colder, lying on the chilled stone floors of their tower. Twilight had forgotten the existence of her Master's watchful glare, until he again commented to her.

"Keep up ze good verk!" Varnuss encouraged, as his student took a small bow, smiling proudly over the remains of her former friend.

"Now, mein student. Deztroy ze body in fire!"

Twilight nodded, thinking about the fire rune that caused some disaster before. She felt more in control of her magic through practice, however. In a flash, Rarity's body became enveloped in a red glow, and burst into flame.

The hungry flames dissolved Rarity's pure flesh, the very sight of which made Twilight grin with joy. "She was SUCH an insufferable whiny little BITCH" Twilight griped.

Varnuss smiled "Tvilight, zhy anger fuelz the magical runes! Anger, not kindnezs is vhat fuelz the most poverful magik! Fuel zhe anger and vatch zhe fire grow!"

Twilight did as she was instructed, focusing harder on all the whining and griping Rarity had done over the years. The fire responded, crackling happily at every new thought of anger and rage, growing taller and taller, belting out more heat.

Rarity's form had dissolved completely, leaving only a tiny pile of ashes in the middle of the crackling flames. Twilight closed her eyes, allowing the fire to wane and die. In the center of the ash, there was a beautiful blue diamond, forged from the heat of fire and the remains of Rarity's elegant form.

Twilight picked the diamond out of the ashes, looking over it with a sly smile.

"A good treat for Spike!" She chuckled, slipping the diamond into a nearby saddlebag. Varnuss nodded, giving Twilight a sly smile.

"Rezt now, you havve much more magik tu prevorm!"

Twilight pulled herself into bed, completely out of energy. For the first time, her magical lesson wore on her like no other, the sheer volume of details and coordination required to balance the forces of life took their toll on her stamina.

The exhausted Twilight lay on top of her covers for only a moment before she drifted into sleep. The odd sight put a sly smile on Varnuss' face, as he thought about tucking Twilight in under the warming quilt and sheets currently below her.

"Oh Tvilight... I coouldn't bear to zee you avakened vfroom zis peazeful ztate ofv rezt." Varnuss commented, spreading his wings.

With the most gentle motions Varnuss could use to sustain flight, Varnuss spread his great wings and drifted slowly over Twilight. He gently and carefully wrapped his wings around the sleeping unicorn, letting the warm magical fire at the tips of his feathers lap around Twilight's coat and mane.

Soon, Varnuss succumbed to the call of sleep himself, curled around Twilight, tickled slightly by her soft fur. The two simply let the morning pass into late afternoon, intertwined and subconsciously comforted by each other's presence.

Hunger was the killer that ruined their moment together. Twilight's stomach began to groan and voice its complaints to her, and she was roused from her blissful nap with the desire to eat. As Twilight gained consciousness, she noticed the peculiar feeling around her, and the sight of fiery feathers enveloping her body.

Twilight reacted with fear almost instantly. Her body jerked in reflex, not violently, but enough to startle and awake Varnuss. At that very moment, Twilight looked up and noticed that the fiery sight was merely Varnuss' harmless wings enveloping her body.

"Oh, Varnuss I am sorry to wake you." Twilight Blushed

"Eeez not ein provblem Tvilight. I vas juzt beeeinng ein bleenket vor you eez all."

Twilight blushed lightly. "Oh Varnuss, you didn't have to."

At that very moment, Twilight's stomach let out another soft growl, barely audible though she could feel it in her body more than anything. Varnuss, keen of ear, smiled at Twilight. "I kan bring zee food iv you vood dezire?"

"Oh yes, yes please!"

Varnuss took wing. "I am off to hunt. I have not hunted in zhis form in zo many yearz, but i enjoyed eet so!"

Varnuss flew away, streaking across the sky like a bolt of fire. He flew across the Everfree forest, scanning for prey, anything was fair game. Far away, a beautiful Equestrian Bald Eagle, a rare bird in Equestria took wing from her nest and hatchings

Varnuss soared over the forests, spotting the eagle in flight in the distance. He was of the greater size, though an eagle was a formidable opponent to him. The eagle spotted him, changing course to confront her attacker.

The fight was on! Varnuss spread his great wings, climbing higher to challenge the great bird. The eagle began to gain altitude as well, exerting great energy to ward off the Phoenix. Varnuss folded one wing neatly on his side, barrel rolling in midair to make his turn easier.

The bald eagle, not realizing what was about to happen continued to climb. Varnuss spun around quickly, folding both wings to much smaller than full spread. He dove gracefully, slicing through the air like a whistling arrow.

In a flash, it was over. Varnuss stretched out his dagger-like talons, sinking them into the neck of the great eagle, finding the jugular vein. The bird was killed in an instant, becoming dead weight hanging on the Phoenix's talons.

Varnus flew back towards the castle, somewhat burdened by the weight below him. Twilight watched him approach from the distance, looking to the dead eagle with disgust.

Varnuss landed on the windowsill, laying the eagle gently on a stone ledge.

"Varnuss... I am a pony. I cannot eat meat." Twilight stated

Varnuss laughed. "You kannot eat meat... at zhe moment, but you vill eat meat and enjoy eet!"

Twilight smiled uneasily. "But... how?"

"Zimple mein student! Eet is my turn to demonztrate zhe power of zhe darkezt magik! Sit yourzelf down pleaze." Varnuss commanded.

Twilight sat down, closing her eyes. "I am ready, master Varnuss."

"Vhen I attain my pony form, I vill teach you how to prevorm ritual magik, a harder skill but nonethelez bazed on zhe runez!"

Varnuss encircled Twilight with a red ring of magic and began to recite the runes in their spoken form, his accent bleeding into the spoken words as strongly as ever.

Geizt niychts, vit har þu seke,

þu sholdezt hyran bannan ecke

hier zspillez þat he yoldenz

blakke lytez etvwas allesz

zsmalle dirkz þanne showvenn

wurden an as erzuszcheinen

al þat sirven þu to holpen

maken sondes fertes yolpen.

With every line spoken, the red glow surrounding Twilight grew stronger and stronger still. She began to feel magic changing her, and she developed... a hunger. The hunger began to grow within her, causing her mind to become unified towards a goal and her eyes to set upon the fleshy form of the eagle on the ledge.

Her canine teeth began to extend out in her mouth, towards more fang-like proportions. They sharpened to dagger-like points, useful to tear apart flesh and clean bone. Varnuss released his magic from Twilight, allowing the purple mare to bolt for the window ledge.

Twilight seized the eagle's corpse, biting into its fleshy body. She tore off layers of bloody meat with her new canine teeth, letting dribbles of fresh blood trickle down her chin. It tasted delicious, as the eagle's sights and strength absorbed into her body.

"Varnuss, I feel... Stronger!"

Varnuss laughed "Yes mein student! Feed upon zhe sveet flesh! Gain zhe strength and grow zhe povers from magik!"

Twilight smiled cruelly. "Master Varnuss I wish to renounce my loyalty to the princess, and swear to you as my master in entirety. I only wish to be made as powerful as possible to serve you as I can."

"Mein student!" Varnuss exclaimed "Zis newz ist vunderbar! I vill make you more poverfull zhen ze prinzcessez zhemselves, and togezher ve vill overtake Eqvestria!"

Twilight bowed "Shall I resurrect Rarity to practice for your resurrection"

"Tvilight, you have proven yourzelf enough for me, as mein Student, but ve musst resurrekt Rarity or elze othzers vill bekome suzpicious."

Twilight nodded "So how do I do it?"

"Mein student, use ze same rune mit vich you resurekted zhe rat, but direkt it betveen zhe rock Raritys zoul is bound to, and ein objekt zhat you can mold into ein neu Rarity."

Twilight chuckled "I think dirt would be suitable for one as her!"

Varnuss smiled "Even vrom her korpse I zaw ein pony obzessed mit klean! I love zhe vey you zhink!"

Twilight used a beam of purple magic to rip a chunk of dirt from the earth far below the castle tower. She brought it up onto the floor in a cone-shaped pile.

Twilight did as instructed, focusing on the Rune of Resurrection, but making it travel between the rock rarity was bound to and the pile of dirt. The magic began to do as she wanted, making the pile of dirt levitate and condense into the shape of a mare.

The dirt became more and more defined, taking the form of Rarity in its entirety, as the rock shimmered and danced upon the floor. The dirt sculpture of rarity and the rock collided with a blinding flash of light, so bright that Twilight had to turn away, eyes closed.

The sleeping body of Rarity fell to the floor, alive and unscathed. She breathed slowly, clearly knocked out cold from the overwhelming changes that she was forced through.

"I DID IT!" Twilight exclaimed proudly. She smiled feeling ecstatic that she had performed such difficult magical tasks for Varnuss. _He__will__let__me__resurrect__him__!_ Continued to repeat inside her mind, as she began to realize that she could come good to the promise she made, and that Varnuss was surely going to make her one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria.


	6. Chapter 4 Castles and Conversation

Night was beginning to fall over Canterlot castle, and Princess Cadance's eyes flew wide open as she lay on her comfortable bed. She screamed a bloodcurdling scream. Shining Armor woke up, startled, to watch his beautiful wife jump out of the bed and run as fast as she could into the hall.

Shining Armor chased after her, only to find that Cadance had rounded a corner and was nowhere to be found. He began to race through the halls, worried about how distraught his love was before she had disappeared.

In another part of the castle, Cadance's hooves clacked down the tiled hallway as she ran in a hurried gallop, making her way towards one of the towers. A grey night guard jumped out of her way with an expression of panic and terror at the sight of the running princess.

Cad kept moving down the hall at breakneck speed shouting a faint "sorry" as she rounded a corner. Statues and armor shells flew by the princess as she continued to speed down the hallway, her steamy breath puffing out of her mouth every time her front hooves hit the ground.

Princess Cadance arrived at a familiar door, after storming up a long spiral staircase. She hurriedly knocked on the door.

"Come in please" Celestia replied through the thick wooden door. With that, the pink princess entered, panting to catch her breath as she stepped in.

"Tia!" Princess Cadance exclaimed between two gasps for air.

"What is it, Cadance?" Celestia asked with an expression of grave concern and care.

Cadance held her hoof into the air, in a gesture to ask for a second to catch her breath. She took a few deep breaths and collapsed to the floor breathing in and out until her flustered face began to cool.

"We... had a dream. That was more than an ordinary dream..."

"A vision?" Celestia asked, stepping over to Cadance. She rubbed Cadance's back slowly with her her golden hoof to comfort the princess. Cadance turned towards Celestia, giving her a faint but reassuring smile.

"Less than that, but nonetheless powerful. We felt something, something that should never be felt." Suddenly, Cadance tensed up in pain and rolled over, holding her side and wincing.

"RIB CRAMP!" She wheezed, trying to breathe deeply.

"I was bothered today, something felt odd, but I did not focus on it. What did you feel?"

"I felt a presence that I have not felt in a long time. It was an intense feeling of a familiar darkness, which could hardly come from anypony left... unless..." Cadance trailed off, closing her eyes and shuddering slightly.

"Unless what, dear sister?"

"Unless... somepony we both know too well has regained strength."

Princess Celestia looked at Cadance's eyes, nodding to say that she understood the meaning of her niece's words completely.

"For both our sakes, I hope you are wrong, Cadance. Truly I do"

Princess Cadance nodded, pulling herself off the floor. "As do I, Tia, as do i."

Rarity woke up in her bed, with Opalescence by her side.

"My my Opal, what a strange dream!" Rarity sighed, yawning and stretching her legs.

She walked downstairs, tripping over a red sash carelessly left on the floor. She stumbled, not a graceful action for an elegant pony such as her. She spun around in anger, coming face to face with the sash. She remembered that sash, the cruel, merciless sash which killed her.

"It... Cannot be!" Rarity stammered, rushing to her sewing room with an expression of panic and terror. Her eyes darted about the room, growing wider with every frantic gaze at the details around her.

A catnip mouse lay on its side on the floor, right next to a smashed sewing machine. The sewing machine was on its side, the cracked plastic cover was across the room, having landed with considerable force. Little mechanical components were buried in the carpet, from tiny gears to little springs.

Rarity, her hair more frazzled than she could usually stand to bear, stepped onto the Sweet Apple Acres porch. She knocked twice with the back of her hoof, gentle and ladylike.

Applejack stepped out, tipping her favorite stetson hat.

"Applejack... we need to talk".

"Sure thing, about what?"

Rarity looked around Sweet apple acres nervously. Big macintosh was busy plowing a field in the distance, though he was close enough to them that Rarity was slightly unsettled.

"Can we... talk inside?"

"Sure. C'mon in, sugarcube"

Applejack and Rarity sat down at the Apple Family dinner table. A pie cooled on the windowsill, and fresh apple slices waited on a platter for anypony with a need for a quick snack. Rarity picked up one apple with her magic, daintily nibbling it, and tasting the sweet apple juice as it trickled down her tongue.

"Applejack, do you trust me?"

"course ah do, Rarity. I ahm not the type to mistrust my best friends fer nothin."

"I died last night, I was murdered by magic... and..." Rarity began to cry deeply. Applejack held up a tissue box, from which rarity drew several tissues. She blew her nose daintily, trying to regain her composure.

"an... I... think... it was... Twi-light" Rarity stammered, bursting into tears.

"pardon... you... died?"

"I... don't know how... there was a sash, and it wrapped around my neck. I passed out and... somepony was doing rituals, they... I... pleeasehelpmee."

Applejack stood up, putting a hoof on her crying friend's shoulder. "Ahm... lost fer words."

Rarity looked up at Applejack, her beautiful eyes were tear-stained reddened. The tears caused her mascara to run down her face, giving the bottom of her eyes a melting quality. Applejack handed her another tissue, allowing Rarity to regain her composure slightly.

"Ah didn't want to say anythin', but Twilight shure has been actin' strangely round me. Must be that big trip to Manehattan that got her all worked up an such."

"Manehattan?" Rarity asked, her eyes beginning to dry. "She told me Canterlot!"

"She didn't did she? Mah Twilight would never lie like that."

"should we... t..tell the Princess..ess?" Rarity stammered, crying again.

"Ahm 'fraid so, Sugarcube. If this is as bad as what yalls say fer?"

Rarity nodded, burying her face in the table. Applejack wiped a tear out of her own eye, trying to stay strong in appearance but feeling strong emotions herself. _Why__would__mah__friend__lie__like__that__. __What__would__even__compel__fair__Rarity__to__think__Twilight__would__hurt__her__like__that__..._ Applejack thought to herself as she Rubbed Rarity's shoulder slowly.

"Its all okay now sugarcube, yalls gonna be alright."

_Dear__Princess__Celestia__,_

_This__is__no__letter__about__the__love__of__friendship__. __It__was__never__started__as__such__and__never__will__be__. __This__is__a__letter__about__our__grave__and__harrowing__concerns__for__Twilight__sparkle__. __Applejack__has__let__me__, __Rarity__, __write__this__letter__, __because__I__am__more__eloquent__with__my__speech__. __She__is__behind__me__as__I__write__this__, __comforting__me__and__keeping__me__from__my__tears__, __which__have__and__which__will__flow__freely__._

_Twilight__Sparkle__has__been__acting__strangely__lately__, __and__for__the__past__week__at__the__least__, __she__has__been__increasingly__away__from__ponyville__. __Applejack__and__I__have__both__come__to__terms__that__she__is__at__the__very__least__lying__to__us__about__her__activities__and__actions__. __We__spoke__to__Spike__about__Twilight__'__s__behavior__. __He__was__helpful__and__kind__, __but__he__knows__even__less__than__us__about__the__matter__. __This__fact__scared__us__more__than__anything__else__._

_Last__Night__, __I__died__. __I__thought__it__was__a__dream__at__first__, __but__looking__at__my__Boutique__and__the__smashed__sewing__machine__inside__, __there__is__too__much__evidence__that__the__event__did__happen__. __I__cannot__prove__that__it__was__Twilight__, __I__hope__it__is__not__, __but__something__erks__me__and__Applejack__about__all__this__. __Please__, __do__keep__this__in__mind__, __and__please__please__try__your__best__to__save__our__dear__friend__Twilight__, __who__we__sincerely__hope__is__still__with__us__as__she__used__to__be__._

_I__have__sent__this__letter__with__derpy__, __as__even__if__Twilight__was__here__, __neither__Applejack__nor__I__can__trust__her__in__her__state__._

_May__this__letter__find__you__well__, __and__in__better__spirits__than__us__._

_-__Rarity__-_

_-__Applejack__-_


	7. Chapter 5 Promise fufilled

Twilight sat down in the middle of a pentagram burned into the floor. The spirit of Varnuss had willingly returned to his book, and she was alone with her magic. Dark clouds swirled above the ancient castle tower as Twilight began to gather her strength for the tiring ritual ahead of her.

Twilight lit red candles at the tips of the pentagram, watching each candle burn brighter as their siblings were lit. After the fifth candle was lit, the flames stretched up into the air, almost touching the ceiling.

Twilight smiled proudly, all was going well. Given that Varnuss was imprisoned in the book for so long, it would take extra care to separate his blackened soul from the pages and place it into flesh without damaging Varnuss or the book.

Twilight wiped her brow. She was always one for a challenge, but the incredible responsibilities to her master were almost too much for her to bear. The beautiful rune of resurrection glowed inside her memory, as Twilight began to feel the world through her magic.

Twilight closed her eyes, the sensation was merely a distraction to her while performing magic. She could see the book with the spirit inside as clear as day through her magical senses. The rest of the room came into her magical vision soon after. The book, the birdlike spirit, and the pile of gems in the center of the pentagram glowed brighter as the focus of her sights.

Night dragged on by outside, as the light of burning candles and swirls of magic illuminated the room. Twilight smiled, her fangs catching the flickering light with an eerie glow. The room became a little colder as Twilight brought forth darker magic, preparing to do the unthinkable.

The purple mare breathed out slowly, focusing carefully on the Rune of Resurrection and the objects beyond. A faint vision of a fully-grown unicorn standing in the room flashed before Twilight's eyes but faded. Twilight could feel Varnuss pushing against the imprisoning walls of the book, as he tried to help her as much as possible.

Twilight worked a little more energy into her magic, feeling the heat of the burning candles. The diamonds and gems before her melted into a puddle, forming into the elegant form of a Unicorn before her. Varnuss was impressively tall, slightly taller than the Flim- Flam brothers and sharply defined.

The Spirit of Varnuss broke out of the book with a burst of energy. Unlike the bird, his spirit was a formless and energetic ball, now free to the world. This was the critical point, if Twilight could not hold the form of his body intact, Varnuss would surely die.

Twilight struggled to hold the many forms of magic at once. The exercise was exhausting, mentally and physically. The spirit draped over the shimmering sculpture, enveloping it with a faint blue glow.

Twilight was becoming worse for wear. Her mane was frazzled, and she began to shake in the knees, though the ritual was not nearly done. She remembered Varnuss' last lesson, focusing her angry energy and hatred towards magical action.

Boiling a little rage into her action, Twilight was able to stand up tall and push forward. The diamond statue of Varnuss glowed even more brightly, and his spirit punched into the body. Suddenly the clear and silvery rock changed color to a jet black with a satin luster.

The spells were done! The great and powerful Unicorn stood over the trembling form of his student, weakened and exhausted from her efforts.

Twilight rolled over, looking upwards at the black unicorn. His intense blue eyes matched his hair, all of which were the color of strong blue flames. A stripe that looked like fire streaked across his chest, which changed over time with the very motions of an orange jet of flame.

His hooves and cutie mark were the same way, fire colored and in constant motion. The mark depicted a single ball of fire lapping at his fur coat. Twilight looked intently at the patterns, noticing something. The orange and blue were brighter than they ought to be in the light, they were in-fact casting light on the room, just as fire does.

Varnuss smiled warmly, revealing a set of fangs similar to Twilight. He held his fire-patterned hoof out to Twilight, who grasped his hoof, pulling herself upright on the stone floor.

"Master!" Twilight exclaimed, bowing to kiss Varnuss' hoof. The fire marking on his hoof felt warm to the touch, not to the point of an actual fire, but it was still noticably and comfortably warm. The unexpected quality caused Twilight to giggle softly.

Varnuss bowed to Twilight out of respect. "Mein Student!"

Varnuss cracked his neck, looking across the room once more. He jumped into the air, turning back into the fiery falcon.

"I vill give you zhis talent soon, mein student! For now relax, and I vill find dinner!"

With that, Varnuss took wing into the night sky.

Twilight woke up to the earliest part of dawn. Varnuss was standing above her in pony form, holding a beautiful male falcon in front of her. Twilight licked her lips eagerly, craving energy and blood.

Varnuss stepped back, using his magic to craft an elegant table with high-backed chairs in the castle tower. The table was already set with beautiful silver tableware, and he laid the falcon upon the central plate.

Varnuss smiled, shooting a stream of magical fire to the central plate. The bird began to sizzle and hiss. Varnuss watched intently as the feathers dissolved away, and released the magical fire. The falcon was a beautiful golden-brown, cooked to perfection.

Twilight smiled "Impressive, master!"

"Tvilight, do zhe honorz?" He asked, motioning her to cut the bird.

Twilight sat at her spot on the table, cutting the bird with quick motions from a magical blade. The bird fell apart beautifully, separated into manageable chunks.

Twilight and Varnuss took the pieces of the bird they needed, both growing stronger and content from the energy in the bird and its noble predator's spirit.

"My student, you have fufilled zhe promize you said to fufil, and I shall do mine. I vish to offer you zomething zhough. I vish to make you mein qveen und bride, and ve shall take ovher zhe Eqvestrian lands. If you do not vish zhis, I understand and vill still teach you everyzhing."

Twilight swallowed her falcon, thinking about the offer in silence.

"How long will we rule for? I mean I am a mortal and you... are much older than I."

"Tvilight, I was kill't venn I vas not ein year older zhan you are. My appearance iss magik and magik alone. Az for immortality, our magik vill take care of zhis."

Twilight looked intently at Varnuss. _He__is__... __beautiful_ she thought to herself, _and__powerful__._

"I accept, I wish to take a Sigmal hoof in marriage, and become Queen of Equestria!" Twilight stated proudly. In that instant, a beautiful red beam of magic bridged between the two unicorns. It lingered in the air for a long time, neither pony in control of the magic but both felt its effect.

The unicorns felt something, inside their minds. They felt the magical presence of the other in the room, a bright glow illuminating their path to the future, to power and beyond.

"Vhy zhe magik haz spovken vor it'zelf!" Varnuss stated proudly. "My bvride to be, ve are zoon to rule!"


	8. Chapter 6 Queen Eventide's Recording

_A__recording__for__Historical__Purposes_

_Dear__Unknown__Unicorn__,_

_The__previous__sections__of__this__book__were__written__by__me__as__a__student__, __Twilight__Sparkle__. __But__things__have__changed__between__me__and__my__Master__, __Varnuss__. __I__have__learned__a__valuable__lesson__, __and__I__have__done__a__powerful__deed__._

_There__is__a__noticeable__gap__in__this__journal__. __I__will__suffice__to__say__that__in__this__time__, __I__performed__an__elegant__and__complex__resurrection__ritual__on__Varnuss__, __to__restore__him__to__his__rightful__body__of__flesh__. __I__, __however__for__purposes__of__my__own__security__, __cannot__detail__how__to__resurrect__a__long__dead__pony__. __After__all__, __one__might__try__to__resurrect__my__enemies__, __the__princesses__. __They__are__not__dead__yet__, __but__Varnuss__and__I__feel__that__this__will__be__necessary__soon__._

_Varnuss__, __returned__to__the__flesh__as__I__promised__, __offered__me__power__as__a__reward__. __I__would__be__a__foal__to__refuse__him__, __and__I__will__soon__earn__my__rightful__title__of__Queen__of__Equestria__. __Varnuss__promises__me__that__through__our__efforts__, __the__Princesses__will__fall__and__we__will__rise__, __Husband__and__Wife__, __King__and__Queen__, __Emperor__and__Empress__for__eternity__and__beyond__. __As__a__future__queen__, __I__needed__to__pick__a__Queen__-__like__name__, __and__Twilight__Sparkle__will__never__do__. __My__husband__to__be__asked__if__I__was__willing__to__bear__the__honorable__Sigmal__name__into__power__. __And__of__course__, __I__accepted__. __No__other__name__existed__in__the__world__that__befitted__a__soon__-__to__-__be__Queen__of__Equestria__more__than__the__name__of__the__Sigmal__family__. __I__chose__the__name__Eventide__Aura__Sigmal__, __Queen__of__Equestria__. __A__title__of__anything__less__would__not__be__acceptable__for__a__pony__of__my__power__and__prestige__._

_I__am__keeping__this__journal__together__now__, __for__the__proper__preservation__of__history__. __These__documents__will__one__day__provide__insight__into__my__rise__of__power__as__Queen__along__with__my__Husband__Varnuss__. __In__the__meantime__, __we__must__continue__my__training__, __as__we__both__know__that__it__is__only__a__short__matter__of__time__before__Varnuss__' __presence__in__the__world__will__be__noticed__._

_Day__Fifteen_

_Today__Varnuss__taught__me__the__manipulation__of__ice__through__magic__. __We__actually__began__our__lesson__with__his__skills__in__controlling__fire__, __though__the__lesson__ended__with__a__dismal__failure__. __No__matter__how__hard__I__tried__, __I__was__unable__to__make__the__fire__last__, __nor__produce__decent__amounts__of__heat__. __I__sincerely__hope__my__master__is__not__disappointed__at__my__weakness__, __and__I__yearn__to__prove__myself__as__a__student__, __no__matter__the__cost__._

_Varnuss__did__not__give__up__on__me__, __however__, __and__he__suggested__we__attempted__to__try__with__ice__. __With__a__little__modification__of__his__fire__rune__, __Varnuss__was__able__to__teach__me__how__to__work__with__ice__as__he__does__with__fire__. __I__was__actually__quite__talented__. __Just__as__Varnuss__and__I__were__working__with__icicles__, __a__little__white__mouse__scurried__across__the__floor__. __Without__a__second__thought__I__drove__one__right__through__the__little__mouses__ribcage__. __It__'__s__fleshy__body__was__so__small__it__split__the__creature__in__half__, __spattering__chilled__blood__on__my__lips__. __The__taste__of__this__raw__act__drove__me__to__new__heights__of__euphoria__and__ecstasy__, __and__I__must__say__I__thoroughly__enjoyed__the__killing__. __If__only__that__little__bitch__Fluttershy__could__see__me__now__! __I__have__changed__so__much__since__I__began__my__studies__. __I__would__never__have__done__such__a__thing__before__, __killing__another__creature__with__my__own__power__, __but__now__I__am__proud__of__myself__for__being__able__to__learn__a__new__spell__so__quickly__and__use__it__for__such__a__purpose__._

_As__well__as__impaling__things__I__can__also__use__the__ice__to__do__other__things__, __from__the__Practical__to__the__Artistic__. __I__can__do__household__chores__, __such__as__making__drinks__cold__, __or__keeping__ice__-__cream__from__melting__. __I__was__even__able__to__craft__delicate__structures__such__as__ice__sculptures__by__the__end__of__my__training__for__the__day__. __I__made__a__sculpture__of__Varnuss__and__I__. __Initially__, __I__thought__that__ice__sculptures__were__not__very__useful__for__warfare__, __but__Varnuss__suggested__that__I__might__be__able__to__make__an__ice__bridge__! __I__am__unsure__of__how__much__ice__I__can__create__, __but__I__am__willing__and__eager__to__try__soon__._

_Day__Sixteen_

_Varnuss__seemed__a__little__disappointed__in__me__about__my__inability__with__fire__, __though__when__I__asked__about__it__, __he__insisted__that__he__was__merely__feeling__tired__. __He__has__been__working__diligently__on__the__spells__required__to__make__me__immortal__in__body__and__stronger__in__form__._

_Varnuss__said__that__tomorrow__is__when__he__preforms__the__most__powerful__magic__that__he__himself__can__wield__upon__me__. __The__notion__fills__me__with__apprehension__and__excitement__, __as__I__eagerly__await__my__new__powers__. __He__told__me__that__he__must__meditate__for__a__day__or__so__, __to__relax__and__gain__strength__. __I__believe__he__left__for__the__castle__catacombs__but__I__am__not__sure__. __In__any__case__, __he__insisted__that__he__had__to__isolate__himself__from__me__for__a__little__while__._

_Anyway__, __Varnuss__left__me__with__instructions__about__a__spell__of__ "__self__-__discovery__." __His__notes__were__indeed__very__cryptic__, __but__I__believe__that__he__was__getting__at__the__fact__that__Everypony__is__represented__in__their__own__way__by__a__creature__. __The__runes__drawn__on__his__notes__were__not__detailed__in__the__book__he__gave__me__, __and__I__have__copied__everything__into__an__appendix__at__the__end__of__this__journal__._

_Varnuss__' __instructions__insisted__that__I__was__capable__of__the__feat__described__, __though__It__did__not__entail__what__would__happen__when__the__spell__occurred__. __Out__of__trust__and__loyalty__, __however__I__gave__the__runes__my__best__shot__, __and__for__the__first__time__with__the__runes__, __I__was__not__successful__. __At__least__on__the__first__try__I__was__not__._

_I__looked__back__at__my__previous__lessons__, __focusing__more__on__Varnuss__' __lesson__on__the__power__of__hatred__and__rage__. __I__tried__the__spell__again__, __thinking__about__previous__wrongs__in__my__life__. "__How__DARE__the__princesses__betray__me__, __and__hold__me__from__the__knowledge__that__Varnuss__provided__to__me__." __and__ "__How__dare__they__destroy__such__a__wonderful__pony__such__as__Varnuss__." __I__reflected__on__Celestia__'__s__treatment__of__me__at__the__royal__wedding__, __her__mistrust__and__quickness__to__judge__me__to__be__lower__than__others__. __I__was__nothing__to__her__, __and__with__my__new__powers__I__will__forge__a__name__for__myself__, __carved__upon__her__flesh__and__written__in__her__blood__._

_It__was__these__thoughts__that__brought__me__success__in__my__spell__. __In__a__burst__of__magic__and__a__shower__of__lights__, __I__changed__. __The__world__changed__in__all__aspects__, __in__perspective__, __color__, __and__feeling__. __It__was__then__that__I__discovered__that__I__had__become__a__Phoenix__, __just__like__Varnuss__. __I__, __however__was__not__made__of__fire__, __but__of__ice__, __beautiful__crystalline__feathers__of__ice__, __and__a__blue__color__all__around__to__boot__._

_I__liked__my__body__as__a__Phoenix__of__Ice__. __I__felt__free__and__strong__, __stronger__than__ever__before__. __My__forked__tongue__was__a__little__unsettling__, __but__it__was__not__something__I__couldn__'__t__get__used__to__. __He__said__I__would__become__ "__suitable__for__a__queen__" __which__I__have__taken__to__mean__immortal__in__body__and__taller__in__form__. __But__it__was__a__reality__I__have__come__to__terms__with__ (__though__I__wished__Varnuss__would__have__mentioned__that__the__effect__is__permanent__whether__in__animal__form__or__not__)._

_I__have__not__attempted__flight__yet__, __I__am__still__at__risk__without__him__, __though__I__yearn__to__one__day__hunt__alongside__my__husband__, __free__as__a__bird__._

_day__seventeen_

_Varnuss__did__not__return__to__me__until__the__late__afternoon__. __He__seemed__happier__, __and__full__of__more__energy__than__I__have__ever__seen__him__. __I__told__him__of__my__experience__with__the__spell__and__the__epiphany__I__had__in__the__morning__._

_Ah__yes__, __my__Epiphany__ought__to__be__mentioned__here__. __I__was__bathing__, __when__the__sudden__thought__came__to__me__. __Chrysalis__was__fueled__by__love__, __but__likely__never__tried__to__use__the__power__of__hate__. __Love__is__like__nectar__, __sickly__-__sweet__but__dangerous__in__over__-__use__and__certainly__unreliable__. __Chrysalis__in__any__case__could__be__a__useful__ally__against__the__Alicorns__. __Varnuss__and__I__have__agreed__that__we__should__at__least__attempt__to__gain__her__support__, __as__there__is__little__risk__to__us__otherwise__._

_Varnuss__was__pleased__to__hear__of__my__findings__, __and__my__transformation__as__well__. __It__was__now__time__for__Varnuss__to__make__me__into__the__Queen__I__eagerly__wanted__to__become__. __He__told__me__that__I__must__put__my__faith__in__him__, __allowing__him__to__work__great__magic__over__my__form__in__my__sleep__. __I__trusted__him__thus__far__, __and__I__obeyed__, __falling__asleep__on__the__center__of__the__floor__with__Varnuss__standing__over__me__._

_When__I__awoke__, __I__had__the__strangest__feeling__, __as__if__I__were__a__young__filly__just__born__into__the__world__. __My__entire__body__felt__new__, __and__awkward__. __The__first__time__I__tried__to__stand__, __I__fell__to__the__cold__marble__floor__, __before__finding__that__my__legs__had__more__than__doubled__in__size__._

_I__looked__in__the__mirror__to__find__that__I__was__almost__as__tall__and__just__as__regal__as__Varnuss__, __and__different__in__every__aspect__of__my__previous__physical__form__. __My__horn__was__longer__, __and__my__face__had__matured__and__become__longer__, __more__graceful__, __like__Celestia__. __My__torso__was__much__more__full__and__muscular__than__it__had__been__prior__, __giving__my__body__a__form__of__elegance__without__making__me__appear__fragile__. __My__color__had__faded__somewhat__. __I__was__still__purple__, __but__my__coat__was__much__lighter__, __with__almost__a__frosty__sheen__. __My__mane__also__had__changed__, __which__I__am__sure__was__Varnuss__' __own__work__. __It__became__longer__and__more__flowing__, __and__it__is__now__an__icy__blue__with__very__intense__cobalt__blue__streaks__about__.__Varnuss__had__made__me__beautiful__, __probably__the__most__beautiful__pony__in__Equestria__. __I__love__it__all__!_

_It__was__then__when__I__noticed__my__cutie__mark__, __and__my__other__markings__. __Just__like__Varnuss__, __I__had__a__mark__on__my__chest__and__hooves__, __which__matched__my__cutie__mark__. __All__of__them__consisted__of__beautiful__bluish__ice__crystals__, __which__felt__slightly__cold__to__the__touch__just__as__Varnuss__' __marks__feel__warm__. __When__I__performed__magic__, __the__ice__grew__and__shattered__, __in__constant__motion__and__flow__._

_The__last__thing__I__checked__was__my__tongue__. __It__was__the__only__thing__I__really__didn__'__t__like__, __as__it__was__still__snake__-__like__in__appearance__. __But__with__so__many__positive__qualities__, __I__can__stand__for__me__and__my__husband__to__have__forked__tongues__. __I__have__fangs__now__as__well__, __which__only__add__to__the__enormous__difference__between__my__new__form__and__the__old__. __I__always__liked__my__little__fangs__, __they__are__useful__for__eating__and__look__impressive__when__I__smile__. __Overall__, __I__am__very__happy__with__Varnuss__' __work__and__how__this__turned__out__, __and__I__think__I__spent__as__much__time__looking__myself__over__in__the__mirror__as__Rarity__does__._

_I__wear__a__crown__now__, __as__does__Varnuss__. __We__magically__crafted__them__together__as__one__. __My__crown__is__made__of__crystallized__ice__, __not__frigid__to__the__touch__but__certainly__cold__. __Varnuss__' __crown__is__made__of__frozen__fire__, __which__holds__its__shape__, __though__it__does__move__very__slowly__. __We__wear__them__all__the__time__now__, __declaring__ourselves__to__be__King__and__Queen__, __and__we__aim__to__prove__this__fact__soon__._

_Varnuss__was__unable__to__teach__me__anything__for__the__day__, __he__had__to__rest__. __I__pushed__our__beds__together__and__am__about__to__fall__asleep__by__his__side__. __We__look__good__together__I__think__. __His__black__coat__and__Fiery__markings__contrast__with__my__light__purple__coat__and__ice__markings__nicely__. __Contrast__with__parallels__is__a__good__look__to__have__, __and__we__look__fit__to__rule__!_

_Day__eighteen_

_Today__Varnuss__taught__me__something__very__useful__. __In__fact__he__taught__me__a__whole__suite__of__spells__, __which__he__calls__Battle__Meditation__. __These__are__ancient__arts__used__by__the__Sigmal__family__, __which__propelled__the__Hoofenheim__army__to__many__great__victories__. __The__first__meditation__I__learned__, __was__how__I__could__speak__to__Varnuss__through__magic__, __over__great__distances__, __mind__-__to__-__mind__. __Varnuss__and__I__enjoyed__this__form__of__communication__so__much__that__we__have__decided__to__do__the__rest__of__our__lessons__for__the__day__with__it__, __when__possible__._

_The__second__skill__was__the__battle__meditation__itself__. __With__careful__focus__and__a__calm__atmosphere__, __I__could__use__the__subtle__flow__of__magical__energy__to__coordinate__all__units__of__an__army__, __to__keep__their__spirits__, __to__drive__their__efforts__. __We__tested__it__on__a__group__of__mice__. __Through__meditation__, __I__was__able__to__get__the__disorganized__mass__of__squirming__mice__to__march__together__in__formation__. __I__then__played__a__little__game__, __making__the__mice__dance__elegantly__for__me__, __spinning__around__each__other__in__circles__with__precision__and__elegance__in__their__movements__._

_Varnuss__says__I__am__better__than__him__at__this__. __He__thinks__that__If__I__am__as__good__with__an__army__as__I__am__with__mice__, __that__we__will__be__an__unstoppable__and__coordinated__force__. __Varnuss__says__that__through__coordination__and__elegance__, __a__dedicated__but__small__group__can__withstand__and__even__defeat__armies__much__stronger__than__our__own__. __I__hope__he__is__right__, __and__I__thoroughly__enjoyed__the__meditation__itself__. __I__have__always__loved__to__organize__and__plan__, __but__the__meditation__is__different__. __I__feel__the__organization__, __and__the__strategy__as__it__occurs__around__me__. __Bits__and__pieces__fall__into__place__perfectly__alongside__the__others__, __and__I__can__focus__on__so__many__things__and__make__snap__decisions__. "__Vhy__Eventide__, __zhe__zkill__you__hav__mit__organizatzion__iz__rivaled__by__no__ozher__!"_

_The__last__meditative__skill__I__learned__was__how__to__direct__the__flow__of__magical__energies__. __Magic__flows__through__the__air__like__a__physical__substance__. __It__forms__currents__and__streams__, __touching__every__organism__and__flowing__through__every__object__. __I__learned__to__see__these__currents__in__my__meditation__, __and__bend__them__, __making__them__flow__away__from__the__enemy__and__towards__us__, __replenishing__our__energies__and__giving__us__more__power__. __I__told__Varnuss__that__if__I__have__this__power__we__should__offer__the__Changelings__a__home__in__Equestria__in__exchange__for__an__army__. __He__agreed__fully__, __and__told__me__that__there__were__ways__to__direct__love__as__well__, __but__he__did__not__know__how__. __I__will__reflect__on__this__and__develop__my__skill__on__my__own__time__._

_Varnuss__told__me__a__story__, __from__even__before__his__time__. __He__told__me__that__the__Sigmal__to__first__discover__battle__meditation__did__so__in__desperation__. __He__was__about__to__be__attacked__by__a__great__armada__, __and__his__forces__were__meager__and__weak__. __In__a__last__-__ditch__attempt__to__save__his__kingdom__, __he__sent__out__fishing__boats__with__unicorns__as__their__only__defense__to__meet__the__Assaulting__Fleet__. __With__his__meditation__and__perfect__strategy__however__, __this__tiny__and__weak__force__acted__as__one__formidable__opponent__, __dividing__and__conquering__a__larger__army__._

_The__baron__had__won__the__battle__, __but__lost__the__war__. __He__was__assassinated__later__by__his__own__minions__, __a__valuable__lesson__that__Varnuss__instructed__me__to__follow__as__well__. __I__loved__his__stories__, __and__asked__him__to__tell__me__more__of__them__when__our__tiring__ordeal__is__over__. __He__agreed__._

_Day__nineteen__and__twenty_

_Varnuss__said__He__was__confident__that__we__can__defeat__the__princesses__. __He__told__me__that__we__would__continue__our__studies__after__our__battle__, __but__for__the__mean__time__there__were__more__important__concerns__. __I__agree__with__his__sentiments__, __and__I__feel__as__if__I__am__ready__to__go__up__against__Luna__and__Celestia__, __when__I__have__to__._

_Varnuss__spent__the__rest__of__the__day__preparing__to__make__me__immortal__. __He__had__to__go__to__the__catacombs__again__, __and__asked__me__to__seriously__debate__whether__I__wanted__to__be__deathless__in__the__world__of__Equestria__. __I__asked__him__about__my__friends__, __and__he__told__me__upfront__that__the__amount__of__magic__he__possessed__was__barely__enough__to__make__me__immortal__without__causing__weakness__. __We__both__understand__that__him__making__me__immortal__is__a__great__vulnerability__to__us__for__the__next__days__, __but__it__is__necessary__if__I__am__to__go__into__battles__with__the__immortal__princesses__. __As__with__resurrection__, __I__am__not__comfortable__writing__how__Varnuss__accomplished__this__feat__, __but__I__can__write__that__it__exhausted__him__to__an__incredible__level__._

_After__he__was__done__, __I__was__replenished__, __and__he__was__weakened__. __I__left__him__in__my__Phoenix__form__, __and__found__a__falcon__for__him__to__eat__. __I__loved__the__thrill__of__Aerial__battle__with__other__birds__of__prey__, __just__as__Varnuss__said__I__would__. __I__cannot__even__begin__to__describe__how__wonderful__it__is__to__fly__with__your__enemy__, __dodging__his__maneuvers__and__countering__with__your__own__, __until__one__delivers__the__killing__blow__._

_I__spent__day__twenty__tending__to__my__Husband__-__to__-__be__, __staying__by__his__side__and__funneling__as__much__magic__to__him__as__he__could__handle__. __He__appreciated__my__care__and__trusted__in__me__that__I__was__the__best__wife__a__soldier__could__hope__for__, __strong__, __independent__, __and__able__to__tend__to__him__as__he__could__tend__to__me__. __Through__our__love__, __and__with__our__power__, __we__will__rule__the__skies__and__ground__forever__!_

The last entry in the diary is this short passage.

_I__wanted__to__conclude__this__book__with__my__closing__statements__and__a__short__testament__._

_I__feel__that__the__Princesses__Arrival__is__imminent__. __Varnuss__and__I__have__begun__planning__our__castle__and__thinking__about__raising__an__army__. __It__is__only__a__matter__of__time__before__the__princesses__discover__us__, __and__with__that__I__must__sign__off__from__writing__, __as__I__will__have__no__more__time__to__do__soon__._

_If__Varnuss__and__I__shall__fail__in__our__task__, __this__should__provide__perspective__on__the__happenings__of__this__war__. __If__we__should__succeed__, __this__may__yet__become__the__definitive__text__over__the__history__of__the__first__king__and__Queen__of__a__great__and__long__era__of__Sigmal__rule__over__Equestria__._

_Signing__off__until__further__records__can__be__added__in__other__books_

_Queen__Eventide__Aura__Sigmal_


	9. Chapter 7 This Means War

Varnuss and Eventide sat at their square wooden table, on High-Backed wooden chairs with velvet cushions. They enjoyed an elegant dinner, which for their first time together was entirely vegetarian at Eventide's request. Eventide still did not enjoy the taste of meat in its entirety though she needed it for strength. Her cooking was excellent, however, and Varnuss was more than content with the occasional meatless meal.

"ees good, Eventide!" Varnuss applauded.

"Thank you, love"

The two unicorns ate the dinner slowly, and peacefully. They discussed strategy ideas, how to defend their castle and How to raise armies. Ideas were pitched, discussed, modified, discarded, and re-evaluated. Their plans became intricate and detailed, iron-tight from failure even if everything went wrong.

A dull thud caught Twilight and Varnuss' attention outside. They pushed away from the dinner table, leaving their salads unattended. Princess Celestia stepped into the tower, followed by Princess Luna.

"VARNUSS, TWILIGHT" Celestia screamed, as Luna buried her face into her hooves.

"This cannot be..." Luna stammered, looking over Twilight's impressive form and colors.

Varnuss laughed, holding up Twilight's icy hoof. "Eet iz vorze zhan zhat!"

Eventide rubbed up closer to Varnuss, kissing him tenderly. Luna's cheeks grew flustered with rage and anger, though Celestia appeared more calm.

"You will never understand why we were meant to be, but trust in me that Varnuss found me as much as I found him." Eventide smiled, flashing her sharp fangs and flicking out her red snake-like tongue. Varnuss followed suit, his tongue jutting out like a forked ribbon.

"I am no longer Twilight, by the way. I am Eventide, the rightful and future queen of Equestria!"

With that, Princess Luna had lost control of her anger. She growled, shooting a bright purple beam of magic at Varnuss. Eventide reacted immediately, deflecting Luna's magic with a red magical shield. The battle was skewed in favor of Eventide and Varnuss, and the princesses knew it. Luna backed behind Celestia, though she kept Varnuss and Eventide in her sights.

Varnuss smiled "I have taught her vell. Too vell for her previous teacherz, vho vere unvilling to show her vhat magik meanz!"

Eventide grinned "Varnuss is my master now! Now GO! Before we destroy you!" Her eyes were sincere and her stance was threatening.

Celestia and Luna backed off together, unwilling to fight the two powerful unicorns. They stretched their wings out, turning towards the door to the balcony.

"We will return with an army" Celestia stated proudly.

"Ve vill avait you mit ein bezter army." Varnuss replied.

Celestia looked over Equestria for a moment.

"So it is war that you wish?"

"I Will fight to the death!" Eventide shouted. "Your Kingdom will Fall, or I will fall with my master!"

"Twilight, i gave you magic, talents, friends, and purpose. I did everything in my power to take care of you, and protect you. You... have an odd way of repaying me for this."

"You gave me NOTHING. You held me away from the POWERS I could have, Immortal life, Eternal beauty, and STRENGTH in magic that I no longer lack."

"DO YOU REALIZE" Celestia began, letting emotion get to her, before calming down and saying "The damage that this magic does to your heart?"

Eventide hesitated, taken aback "...What do you mean?"

"You will see, Twilight. When your friends all die, when years pass and everything changes but you. You will feel the burden we bear."

"I feel NO such attachments, save to Varnuss who is as immortal, beautiful, and powerful as I!"

"Vive hundert yearz ago you deveated me mit dirty trikz, but zis ztudent ov yourz kame tu rektivy zis miztake ov mine."

Varnuss gave Eventide a kiss on the forehead. She responded back with an affectionate nuzzle, and a quick glare at the princesses. The sight was too much for the two allicorns to bear anymore, and without another word, they shook their heads and turned to the balcony.

The wind back from their wingbeats shifted Eventide's hair slightly as the two intertwined slightly. They watched Celestia and Luna fade into the evening light, heading back to Canterlot. Their wingbeats were slow, almost defeated, as if they carried back some great burden on their backs.

"Tia, if she is so mad, we might have to...Kill her..."

"I know..." Celestia wiped her eye "I know..."

Eventide and Varnuss looked at each other in their pony forms for one last time, before morphing into Phoenixes. "Our formz are a mere ztroke of luck, Eventide!" Varnuss exclaimed happily "Ve arre alike in Animal, Zpirit, und Real live.!"

Eventide nodded, as they dove off the high castle tower together towards ponyville. The two Phoenixes flew side-by-side, making a beautiful streak of fire and ice as they crossed the Everfree forest.

At ponyville, Varnuss and Eventide's paths no longer crossed. Twilight nodded to Varnuss, bidding him farewell in his trip to Germaneigh. Varnuss prefered to fly, and his trip was short enough to do so. For the fiery phoenix, Germaneigh was merely a hop, skip, and a jump across Equestria.

"Eventide, I iz zorry zhat you have to travzel farzher zhan I do, but I believe zhat you vill understand zhat I do not do vell in icey landz."

"It's okay, Varnuss" Eventide assured him "I can teleport now, even with my _Passengers__."_

With that, Varnuss turned to fly to Hoofenheim, and Eventide flew lower over ponyville, scanning for her targets. In a flash, she spotted a teal mare next to her creme' colored marefriend. Lyra and Bon Bon were so engaged in their embrace upon a park bench, that they did not notice the icy Phoenix circling ahead, waiting to cast a spell.

Eventide turned herself invisible with her magical cloak, landing on a conveniently placed lamp post. With a single strike of purple magic, both ponies were fast asleep, still in each others arms. Even for Twilight, transporting two mares over great distance would prove to be a great challenge.

_I__CAN__do__this__! _Eventide reassured herself, dragging Lyra into a secluded part of the Ponyville park. She followed with Bon Bon, lying them together on the ground. Their manes flowed softly in the gentle breeze, as Eventide revealed her unicorn form.

Eventide picked up both ponies with her magic, setting them by her sides. She dwarfed them in size now, as she had attained full size, and chuckled softly at the realization that she was once that small as well.

She closed her eyes, working as much magical energy into her horn as she could, and the three ponies disappeared in a blinding flash.

High above Canterlot in a castle tower, the beautiful pink Princess Cadance watched her love go about his duties to protect Canterlot. Shining Armor paced the parapets, observing the positions and movements of every guard under his control.

He paused at a parapet, sending a pink beam of magic skywards to replenish the bubble-like protection spell over Canterlot. The white unicorn's knees buckled after sending the spell, as Shining Armor almost fell to the ground. Just as he gasped to regain his breath, his love gasped for him, fearing for his health and well being.

Princess Cadance turned away from the window, to the sound of a knock at her door. "Do come in please" She stated gracefully, as Princess Celestia pushed through the door.

"Cadance, there is something I must tell you." Princess Celestia sighed, lowering her head in an expression of resigned sadness.

"Oh dear... what is wrong Tia?" Princess Cadance asked with grave concern written on her face.

"Cadance, you might want to sit down for this one..."

With that, the two princesses moved to a comfortable rug set out on the floor, sitting upon two large flat pillows. Princess Celestia closed her eyes, preparing the words that stood painfully in her mind, like sharp daggers with evil and foreboding news.

"Varnuss... is alive once more." The white princess stated,

Princess Cadance put her hoof over her heart, as if she had been stabbed. She opened her mouth but no words came out.

"N... No..." She stammered, looking to Princess Celestia to see the white princess nod to her slowly. The nod was all Cadance needed to understand that this was no joke, and that the truth pained Celestia as much as it pained her.

"Varnuss, the Varnuss that nearly destroyed me... the Varnuss that is a symbol for all that is... wrong in the world."

"He is alive, and stronger than ever I am afraid." Celestia nodded.

"How... did this happen?" Princess Cadance asked, standing up to look at Canterlot Castle from her window.

Princess Celestia stood up, standing by the pink Princess. "This will pain you more than anything, but it appears to have been the doing of my... student."

"You cannot mean..." Princess Cadance formed a thought in her head, but halted her tongue, afraid to accuse a certain purple unicorn whom she loved.

"Twilight Sparkle, she has been undoubtedly corrupted by Varnuss... and has dramatically increased in power as a result."

"No... this cannot be." Cadance began to cry, the very security of her life had just collapsed around her. Her husband was her last bastion of hope and stability, though if he learned the truth of her existence even that may change.

Princess Cadance leaned on Celestia's shoulder, trying to work her mind through the harrowing reality of Varnuss' existence. Princess Celestia rubbed her back, allowing the side of her coat to be dampened slightly by Cadance's tears.

"I... must... prepare myself... to fight him." Cadance squeezed her words out between her sobbing, as her beautiful voice warbled in its sadness. Princess Celestia stood almost motionless, allowing Cadance to finish crying before she said another word.

"I will fight him, If you wish to run to safety. I know there lies an ancient grudge between you, but you mustn't be hurt again." Princess Celestia chose her words carefully, trying to persuade the pink princess to make a wise decision.

"No, I must fight, Tia, else the kingdom will fall... You and I both know that this burden rests upon me, to right the wrong in this world of ours.

"Cadance, you do not have to do this, it does not have to be your fight."

Cadance shook her head "No, I must... For everypony in equestria. It was set in stone long before I met you, and now the time has come. I feel as if this is my fault, and that I must right this wrong I brought upon the kingdom so long ago."

Princess Celestia nodded, backing out of the room. "If you change your mind, tell me and I will save you."

"Thank you... Tia, but I am bound to this decision and this fight, as I have been since the day you saved me." Princess Cadance took one last look at the white princess as she backed out of the room.

Celestia closed the door behind her, leaving Cadance alone in her beautifully apportioned tower room. The princess sighed, slowly walking to her favorite window. She leaned out of the tight arch, to look through a thin glass pane with a few bubbles warping her vision of the outside world.

The mid afternoon sun was lazily hovering over beautiful Equestria as Cadance watched her husband continue his work. She sighed, knowing that she must break the truth to him, the truth of her life and her status as a princess.

She began to cry again, though there was no longer the caring shoulder of Celestia to soak up her tears. Instead, the tears struck the floor of Canterlot castle, pattering across the stoneworks like beautiful blue drops of rain striking the cold and unforgiving ground.

_This__is__my__fight__... __win__or__lose__is__my__choice__... __and__Equestria__hangs__in__the__balance__._


	10. Chapter 8 Hoofenheim

_Hoofenheim__! __Mein__Heimatland__!_ Varnuss thought to himself, landing gracefully in a stone courtyard. The castle around him was the same as he remembered. "Ah, zhis castle standz ready for battle!" Varnuss applauded, marveling at the sturdy walls and fortifications. He knocked on a great wooden door, which was quickly opened by two guards.

The guards were both creme colored unicorn stallions, wearing bright green armor. Varnuss stepped into the cool throne room. The duke, a portly if not outright obese stallion, kneeled to Varnuss at his presence.

"Varnuss Sigmal! EEt Cannot Be!" He exclaimed, kissing the firey hoof.

"Mein Dook, you arre much too kind vor ein Baron zuch az mich."

The duke shook his head. "The Sigmal family deserves all Honors in Hoofenheim. We would go to battle with Sigmals without question, if it is your desire."

"Vell zir! You must have been praktixing zein magik, bekause you hast read mein mind!"

Varnuss relaxed in his well apportioned guest room, sitting on comfortable oak and velvet furniture. He leaned out the window, watching as the Hoofenheim guard assembled.

"Ten HUT!" A burly captain shouted, as the armored unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies clanked to attention.

"At Ease"

The armored ponies shifted their stance in unison, and their armor creaked and clacked again. Varnuss smiled, the Hoofenheim guards were strong-willed and professional, ready for battle.

The duke stepped out into the courtyard, shifting his portly belly as he walked. "You have been selected to fight, because you are the best of the best!" He commanded, scanning over the gazes of his finest soldiers.

"The divine powers behind our force cannot be halted, and as our muscles work and strive for glory, we shall find it and prevail. You are the few, the proud, and the powerful, who change the tides of history over the world for years to come!"

The soldiers chanted in unison, their voices echoing over the courtyard, as they swore their oath. "We, the soldiers of Hoofenheim swear, that on our shoulders we the weight of battle bear. In our blood flows our strength and pride, through our souls works the battle's tide. MELIORA!"

Varnuss smiled "Zhese unitz are zee best!"

As the soldiers armed themselves, Varnuss snuck down to the castle basment. The air became colder and more damp as he descended the curvaceous stone steps, following the light of slowly burning oil lamps.

The stairs abruptly ended in a passage that was less castle and more natural cave. Unlike the rest of the orderly structure, columns and stonework was roughly cut, and placed almost at random around. These were the catacombs, dark, and lit only with the faint glow of magical energy.

Varnuss' presence caused the magical light around him to glow brighter, casting eerie shadows around the caves. He pressed forward, searching for a familiar section.

The catacombs began to sink deeper into the earth, as Varnuss took a sharp turn down a natural cave passage. The blue magical glow became stronger. Varnuss' ears perked up at the plinking sound of a drip of water, as if it fell into a great pool.

The cave passage abruptly ended, opening into a grand room, filled with elegant vault-like columns. There was a mirror-like pool of water all over the smooth floor, caused by the passage of time.

Varnuss admired his reflection in the pool, as he stepped into the still water. Ripples extended away from his hooves, traveling across the grand distance of the room. The echoes of his hoofsteps splashing into the water. White crayfish, like little white lobsters, scurried away from the splashing water in terror.

Varnuss observed their motions as they fled with a keen eye. The crayfish swam into the darkness of the cave, finding nooks and crannies in the stone in which to wait in safety. On the other side of the grand room stood a door, made of a dark red stone which contrasted sharply with the tan and grey rocks of the cave around him.

The door magically opened for Varnuss, sliding with the crunch of friction to the right. Varnuss stepped into the darkness, lighting a torch by casting a beam of fire outwards.

The room was lined with large shelves, each which bore a gold sarcophagus. There were carved labels and nameplates below each shelf, describing their owner. The body of Weswolf Sigmal the First was interred on the first row, a brave and powerful Unicorn, supporter of Discord, who brought the Sigmal family much wealth and power.

"Too early in hiztory vor my grave!" Varnuss exclaimed moving deeper into the room.

On the other side of the room lay his supposed resting place, labeled Varnuss Sigmal in beautiful black letters set on white alabaster. As his body was destroyed, the coffin was used to hold the bodies of his servants. They passed not long after he died, having lost the magical protections of their master and therefore becoming mortal again.

Varnuss lifted the heavy sarcophagus lid with a grunt, pushing it aside. Two pony skeletons rested peacefully inside, one of a mare and the other of a stallion. Their bones had been picked clean by the beetles native to the catacombs. The bodies of Varnuss' servants were much smaller than he, and so they fit in the sarcophagus with ease. Varnuss looked over the skeletons, finding that all of their bones were still present.

Fortunately, Varnuss took this to heart and created a Horcrux for both of them, and those were conveniently in the coffin itself. Criminee was bound to his collar-like necklace, a large and heavy construction of gold, which wrapped loosely around his vertebrae as if waiting for flesh to fill it once again. Chartreuse was bound to something a little more personal, an heirloom tea set she was particularly fond of. She used it to bring tea to hundreds of ministers, dignitaries, and the like over the years.

"Chartreuze! Kriminee!" Varnuss exclaimed. With his magical touch, Varnuss forced the skeleton of the mare to rise, the bones clacking together like an elegant puzzle. He lowered the skeleton, causing her to stand upright on the cold stone floor. She stood taller than the first form of Twilight sparkle, though she still looked small compared to him.

Varnuss began pumping red magic at the skeleton. At first it was merely surrounded by a blob-like glow, though the glow began to contract and swirl. Soon, the edges of her body were defined by the glow itself, and flesh began to fill in the void around the skeleton, forming her body. Finally, her muscles and flesh acquired their coat of fur, though the red glow masked the color. Her muscles grew beneath her skin, becoming toned and fleshed out, ready to move her body again.

Varnuss released the magical hold, releasing a mare from the mist. She fell a few inches, causing her hooves to clack on the floor. This startled her for a second, though she quickly regained her composure to perform a proper curtsey. She smiled, and blinked just once as her eyes regained focus on her master Varnuss.

It must be said, of Chartreuse, that she is very lovely. In fact, there are few ponies whom even dare approach the perfection imposed upon Chartreuse's every physical characteristic. She was neither small nor excessively large, but she was built to impress, to stun, and to dazzle. As a fully grown mare, she stood taller than the previous incarnation of Twilight. She was slender and lithe in form, with sharply angled hocks and long but indeed thin legs. Chartreuse was not born as any sort of modeling career, though her looks could captivate and enchant all she found no desire to have herself portrayed in any sense above anypony else. As some would say, the green mare sunk to her position as a butler, and that on charm alone she could have been the wife of royalty or beyond. Then again, part of the phenomenon that is her beauty comes from her ability to wear such a coat without scorn. The depiction of a wine glass took its rightful place upon her flanks, a mark of which the depth of meaning extended farther than one could possibly imagine. Chartreuse, of a fitting name, sported a green coat both lively and unique. The color itself held a certain luster, not radiant or obtrusive by any degree, but with just the perfect amount of shimmer to draw an eye and hold it forever. The same was true of her deep red mane and tail, which jutted out of her form like sets of red Scythes. The perfection imposed on her hair was difficult to achieve even with magical assistance, at least for anypony else. Chartreuse, a little earthpony would do little more than rise out of bed and comb her hair to the exacting standards of perfection that she demanded of herself. Her hair would move with her motions as she did, the long tails of the scythe-like patterns swished through the air as she glided over surfaces. She could walk silently and cause a room to hush to the point where one actually could hear her hooves grace tiles with her presence. Her hooves themselves held their own shade of color, a certain kind of blue. The blue was a dark, intense color, like that of the sea if the sea were to be perfect. Her hooves themselves reminded many of the sea, not just of the color but because of the symmetrical wave-like patterns lapping at the end of her coat.

One, however may not find themselves looking at the form of Chartreuse without finding themselves locked in wordless conversation with her eyes. Even the eyes directed over her perfected form would be forced, perhaps willingly, towards her face. Traveling up her neck, the focus of anypony's vision would be directed by her red bow tie and pressed white collar, her uniform of choice. The collar and tie framed her very symmetrical face well. A long lock of red hair hung over to the right side of her face, always barely to the side of her rightmost eye. This lock stretched down and sometimes almost touched the tip of her well-pointed nose. Her eyes were two generously large ovals, with red irises which looked through the forms of the physical world and saw into the soul. The red of her eyes was similar to the red of her mane, though the eyes were a shade or two brighter, sometimes more in the proper light. There was not an ounce of menacing evil in the eyes, instead there was a certain kindness, a sparkling softness and tenderness of heart which only Fluttershy could best. Her eyebrows were very thin, not pencil thin, but even and graceful nonetheless. They arched above her eyes to beckon those towards her in conversation as the little mare delighted to improve their lives and days. Chartreuse smiled, allowing the world a glimpse of her perfect white teeth, as she looked up to her master. Her eyes glided upwards as they searched the black Unicorn's face for that hidden detail, the good locked within his greed.

She bowed to Varnuss slowly, forming her characteristic bright smile. "Master Varnuss! I live to serve again!"

Varnuss treated the skeleton of the stallion somewhat differently. He did not force the skeleton to rise like he did for Chartreuse, but worked his magic as Criminee lay in the sarcophagus. The red magic brought the stockier form of a stallion to life with ease, with messier borders upon his coat and mane. His eyes formed open, and unlike Chartreuse. Criminee exited the red glow while still lying on his side in his resting place. With a quick hop, Criminee flung himself over the side of the sarcophagus, his four hooves planting into the floor with a loud THUMP. He made a small bow to his master, but did not smile at all. For the truth of the matter is that Criminee was not capable of smiling, he never had and even when forced could not but even wiggle the corners of his mouth in any direction save for down.

Criminee was hardly good by any stretch of the imagination. He was in fact hardly a pony, and more of a sentient kernel of evil surrounded by crimson fur and graced with a mark of sin. At least, that is what most viewed it as. It was less a mark of talent or ability and more a symbol for his personality. Technically, it was indeed a cutie mark, though through the corruption of his very existence his cutie mark was never referred to as such. The mark itself, was that of a fountain pen, splattering blood on his coat as if it had just been thrown down at a table with great force. It was truly gory, not in the sense that usual gore is so vivid and horrifying, but the fact that a pony could exist with such a mark was beyond comprehension. One could suppose to say that Criminee's mark signified his talent to reap gold from the combination of paper and hatred, soul, but in what twist of creation and reality allowed such wretchedness to live and breathe is... not even comprehensible. Criminee himself looked to his mark with pride, and applauded his talents in accounting, forgery, and the complete lack of morality that characterized his behavior and thoughts. Criminee was an artist, in the art of lies and forgery. He was a master chef, if he had to cook a book, or make fudge out of the numbers. For that very reason, he was the only accountant Varnuss placed trust, and for that Criminee rewarded him with riches, and his honest commentary of the world. It was this alone, that made Varnuss very inclined to take Criminee as his personal accountant, a decision the ancient Unicorn never regretted. Criminee wore a thick gold collar around his neck, an expensive but somehow gaudy piece of opulence. It gleamed in the light brightly, as the Crimson earthpony reflected on the meaning of its existence.

_It__turns__out__that__you__can__take__things__with__you__!_

Criminee stood perhaps an inch taller than Chartreuse, though he was almost exactly as long. On appearance alone, one could figure that the pair were brother and sister, though how opposite they were indeed. They shared the same inherent beauty, though Criminee's apparent genetics were also being overtaken by the marks of sleepless nights and sharply angled eyebrows. His eyebrows were a hair or two wider than those of his sister, though above Criminee's face they were almost entirely locked in a sharp downward angle. Below his furrowed eyebrows gleamed Criminee's eyes, an intense and bright blue. The blue of his eyes, however was the blue that ice gives off in proper light. As for his hooves and coat, his hooves were the the exact same blue as on Chartreuse next to him. His Crimson coat, however extended over his hooves with a rough edge unlike the Elegant pattern of Chartreuse. There was no wave-like pattern, merely a jagged edge as combed but unruly hair terminated. His dirty blond mane and tail remained similarly disorganized and messy to his coat. Though Criminee groomed himself regularly he was ever unable to escape the unruly nature of his coat and mane despite his best efforts.

With careful practice and patience, Criminee could force his expressions to guide a "client" towards a "deal." The only hangup was that he could never smile, though with a touch of "natural" blush and a smidge of eyelash motion the need for a smile could vanish. He was known to lick the inside of his lips as a pen graced over a signature line, and sudden twinges of happiness would grace the artist Criminee as the deed was done. The client, clicking the pen closed for the last time, triggered an instant reaction in Criminee's face. In a flash, the bright blue eyes revealed their true burning intent, their hatred, and their cruelty. His eyebrows would sink to their natural pose of hatred and scorn, as Criminee retrieved the cruel parchment from under the hooves of the doomed. "Poor, Unfortunate Souls!" He would sometimes mutter, as the client became suddenly aware of their predicament. On the rarest of occasions with this procedure, Criminee would even turn the paper back so he could point out the hidden line or two that made the dream into a real nightmare.

He bowed to Varnuss, kissing his right hoof. The segments of his gold collar clicked together as he bent his neck. He regained his haughty stance, looking up to Varnuss again.

"Master Fahrnuss! Is zhe world as terrible as vhen I lefft it?" He asked, with a cold and sinister inflection of his voice. Having spent more of his life with Varnuss and other Hoofenheim ponies, Criminee picked up on his own version of Varnuss' accent, though he also had the nasty habit of allowing his S sounds to sizzle through his teeth excessively. As soon as he finished speaking, his mouth sank, returning his face to his characteristic expression of scorn and pessimism.

"Vhy Kriminee! I am glat to zee zhat you are vell!" Varnuss exclaimed, smiling. Criminee blinked in response, the closest expression he was able to manage as a smile.

Criminee noticed Chartreuse standing next to him, and turned to face her directly. "Hello Little sisster!" He scoffed, his words carrying echoes and undercurrents of disdain and poisonous spite.

"Hello, Criminee!" Chartreuse smiled warmly back, refusing to hate her brother even after his past and unwillingness to change his ways.


	11. Chapter 9 The land of ICE

Lyra awoke, realizing that she was stuck to the floor with green goop. She shivered from the cold of the ice cave she was in, despite the fact that Bon Bon was right next to her. Bon Bon woke up as well, looking into Lyra's eyes with deep terror and apprehension.

The two were close together, too far to huddle for warmth, but close enough to exchange a kiss if they were to...

Lean...

Closer.

They closed their eyes, kissing tenderly, perhaps for one of the last times. In their helpless state, both ponies refused to open their eyes or pull away, even when they heard a buzzing like giant bees in the distance.

"I am pleased to see you two still have affection for each other, even through the fear of the unknown and bitter cold." A creepy layered voice boomed from the room. Lyra and Bon Bon finally ended their kiss, turning to face the black Changeling queen, Queen Chrysalis.

Chrysalis smiled cruelly, bearing her sharp fangs and flashing her green eyes at the two lovers, as she released the two from the grip of the floor. "Come My children! Feed upon this love!" She called, as tens of changelings flooded into the cave. They eyed Lyra and Bon Bon with hunger in their angular blue eyes.

Chrysalis stepped back, allowing Lyra and Bon Bon to be surrounded by the changeling horde, devouring their love with greedy slurps, though there was much to give. More and more hungry changelings joined the mass of buzzing black bodies as Chrysalis left them to feed.

Chrysalis turned back to face Eventide. The two were now of comparable stature, though Eventide was fuller in form, and more akin to Celestia in body type. Chrysalis smiled and bowed to the purple unicorn, kissing her hoof.

"Thank you for this gift, Eventide, future Queen of Equestria!"

Eventide smiled, revealing her fangs "For you, just call me Eventide."

Chrysalis smiled back, admiring Twilight with a quick glance. "You have changed very much, Eventide, and In such a short time"

"Why thank you Chrysalis. I am sorry for acting so foalish in your presence before, but that was before I understood the value of my own powers independent of the princesses."

Chrysalis nodded "You have seen the light, through the Darkness, and Now you ask me for help. But, i must ask... in exchange for what?"

"The Changelings will have free reign to live and feed off the love in Equestria, for now and forever!" Eventide replied proudly, sweeping her hoof across the side.

Chrysalis looked around the Icy cave, walking to the entrance with Eventide behind her. Outside, a bitter wind blew thin skiffs of snow across a frigid and barren landscape. The wind caught her blue, insect like wings, forcing them to flutter despite the Queen's efforts.

"I am surprised you found us here, Eventide. We were trying to hide, and survive as long as we could, even in this barren and loveless land."

"It was difficult, but I had a hunch and a few spells up my sleeve" Eventide responded.

"We were going to die here, but you offer us salvation. I cannot but accept this offer, on one set of terms."

"Go on, Queen Chrysalis"

"I want your brother, and his bride as well, upon their love we shall feed and grow strong."

Eventide paused, thinking deeply. "So long as you do not kill them or their love with your feeding, I see no problem with it."

Chrysalis blinked her green reptilian eyes. "I need time to prepare my troops, and to ready Myself for the long flight back. One day will suffice, and we will provide you with the finest accommodations. Follow me"

Eventide and Chrysalis retreated to the Queen's private quarters, sipping magically brewed tea.

"Chrysalis, your Changeling minions and yourself feed upon love, a sugary delight, but have you tried feeding upon hate?" Eventide began, finishing with an elegant sip of tea.

"The thought never occurred to me, but the concept is intriguing."

"I learned to fuel my magic not on friendship, but on my hate. I found great power and ability in it, it is indeed a rush more powerful than love itself."

Chrysalis shook her head. "I find that hard to believe, that delicious love is less potent than the acrid sting of hate and scorn."

"Oh but it is, Queen Chrysalis. You must try, at least."

Chrysalis smiled. "And who pre-tell has taught you this?"

Eventide smiled "Why Varnuss Sigmal did!" She stated happily.

Queen Chrysalis spat out her tea in an unladylike gesture of absolute surprise. "VARNUSS Sigmal?" She asked "You mean to say he lives?"

"Oh yes, quite alive. You might go even so far to say as I resurrected him."

Chrysalis smiled "Eventide, you are a more powerful ally than I ever dreamed. I have no doubts that our force is tenfold stronger than whatever meager forces Celestia can muster, if Varnuss is in his full form."

Eventide smiled "He is in Hoofenheim at the very moment, gathering his own army. We plan to meet at our castle soon, each with an army in our wakes"

"This is wondrous news! Tell me, how did you ever find him?"

"Well funny story, He was given to me in a book collection. I used to be the Ponyville Librarian you know. So, every once in awhile I get something genuinely interesting. I believe the book he was bound to was an heirloom to the Rich family."

"Interesting, Eventide, and what wonderful luck."

Eventide smiled "Yes, I do find myself fortunate." She took another sip of tea, admiring its rich swirling flavor. It was indeed a delightful treat.

"So, you say hate is more powerful than love?"

"Yes, definitely, here try to cast a spell while thinking about love, and then try again while thinking about how Celestia has wronged you."

Chrysalis closed her eyes, sending a green beam of magic towards an icicle. Flames began to wrap around the ice, but the drips of water extinguished them as soon as the ice melted the tiniest bit.

Chrysalis frowned, and closed her eyes again. This time she did as instructed, thinking about Celestia's dirty tricks and foul fighting. In an instant, her stream of magical energy sliced through the icicle with the roar of intense flame. The flame began to burn the ice, consuming it until the princess forced it to stop its ravenous path, lest compromise the structure of the cave ceiling.

Chrysalis smiled at Twilight. "I see what you mean, though the exercise has left me hungry for love."

Chrysalis sipped her tea, replenishing her strength. "Us changelings must feed on the sweetness of love to survive, though through the use of hate I at least can better use my energy towards an attack."

"I understand, Chrysalis. Just as I must eat meat now to survive, you must feed off love."

"I appreciate your efforts, however. I will certainly use my hate to be a more powerful fighter, but I must first have a snack off the delectable love rising from the two mares you brought to us."

Chrysalis left the room, her hooves clicking on the cool ice floors as she traveled down the hall. Eventide listened to the sounds in the cave, as she became aware of Lyra and Bon Bon's protests, muffled by the distance and ice.

"What have I done..." Eventide whispered to herself, shaking her head to regain her composure. _Control__yourself__. _She demanded to herself in thought _I__have__no__excuse__for__weakness__!_

Eventide stepped outside of the Ice cave, into the sunlight over the icy wasteland. It was bitter cold outside, though she did not mind very much. A gust of wind forced her to sidestep, or risk losing her balance.

Her eyes lit up, an Idea had just popped into her head. She thought about Varnuss, causing a crackle of pink magic to flow around her. In an instant, she heard his voice, loud and clear, within her head.

"Hello Eventide, you hast called mich?"

"Varnuss! Love! I have a great idea!."

"Vhat ist zhat idea?"

"If I summon Windigos from this frigid land and send them to the farms, it would Stress Celestia's forces."

"Vhy zis idea ist vunderbar! Eventide I vill return to ze castle zoon, mit my troopz, und I avait your return as vell. If ve are zucessful mit zese evfortz, ve Vill prevail!"

Eventide returned to her room, closing and locking her door, crafted entirely of ice. She loved the caves here, though she could see in the bored and frosty stares from the Changelings that their insect-like bodies were not used to the cold climates.

She thought about the Windigos for a long while, reflecting on Varnuss and his lessons on Battle Meditation. She closed her eyes, searching over the world for her spirit friends. The Windigos were not far away, and Eventide could feel their pull, and hear their frosty breath as they rode the winds and clouds of the far north. She called to them, and they answered, through their magic.

No words needed to be said, Eventide's skill with orders and her command was clear. The Windigos united, from all parts of the poles, joining their efforts into one. They rode the winds, traveling south at her command. They headed for the Farms, prosperous lands of bountiful and valuable summertime crop.

"It is just right in the season too" Eventide laughed mercilessly "Too soon to harvest quickly, and too late to plant again!"


	12. Chapter 10 Equestria

Criminee and Chartreuse boarded an elegant black carriage together, with two mahogany trunks loaded onto its luggage rack. Varnuss leaned in the door, giving them his characteristic smile.

"Ze dook haz given us ein team ov unikorn builderz und engineerz. I vill return to ze caztle vhen my army iz ready to fight, but til then I truzt zhat you tvo kann overzee zhe konstruction vithout me!"

"We will do our very best!" Chartreuse exclaimed happily.

"So long as the builders are as promised, I WILL get results." Criminee stated.

"Gut! Gut!" Varnuss applauded, closing the door to the carriage. The grey driver upon the carriage cracked the whips, trundling through the stone courtyard towards the grand gate.

Several more carriages, less elegant than the first one joined the convoy, with three or four unicorns inside each. The small convoy met on a stone road just outside of Hoofenheim, the drivers coming to an agreement over their route, for safety purposes.

Each carriage was pulled by a pair of castle guards granted from the Duke. The convoy began to move again, towards the Castle far away.

Princess Celestia sat at her desk, re-reading a letter sent out to the cities of her kingdom.

_Attention__leaders__of__Equestrian__cities__,_

_Please__hear__this__call__from__your__Princesses__, __Celestia__and__Luna__._

_There__is__a__great__rising__evil__threatening__our__land__, __an__evil__too__powerful__for__canterlot__alone__to__defend__. __We__must__have__assistance__from__any__able__-__bodied__mare__and__stallion__that__shares__the__will__to__defend__their__kingdom__from__the__evil__tide__which__is__upon__us__._

_While__Canterlot__is__powerless__to__force__action__upon__the__citizens__of__these__cities__, __and__unable__to__enforce__a__draft__even__if__the__power__was__in__our__favor__, __we__beseech__every__city__to__send__what__militia__, __military__units__, __and__volunteers__that__they__can__, __for__the__better__protection__of__our__land__._

_Issued__by__royal__decree__of__Princess__Celestia_

_On__this__day_

_DIES__SATURNI__A__.__D__. __III__KAL__. __MAI__MMDCCLXV__A__.__U__.__C__._

She sighed, finding that no militia from any city had arrived, though she received a stack of worthless letters in their stead. The first one was sent on gold-leafed paper, beautifully crafted and expensive.

_Princess__Celestia_

_It__is__the__regret__of__all__citizens__of__Manehattan__that__we__are__unfortunately__unable__to__send__any__units__or__volunteers__at__this__time__. __Our__current__city__affairs__and__need__for__heightened__police__security__have__left__us__no__choice__but__to__retain__all__units__of__our__guard__._

_The__secretary__of__the__treasury__, __however__, __has__made__the__sum__of__five__hundred__and__fifty__thousand__bits__available__upon__your__request__as__an__interest__-__free__loan__of__indefinite__period__in__order__to__fund__the__purchase__of__Armor__and__Weapons__for__your__units__._

_The__city__of__Manehattan__wishes__you__the__best__in__the__protection__of__our__kingdom__from__evil__._

_Signed_

_The__office__of__G__. __Penderton__, __Mayor__of__Manehattan__._

Princess Celestia crumpled the letter, throwing it out her tower window. The ball of paper fell slowly, bobbing left and right from the air currents around the tower, until it hit the ground far below.

_What__good__is__money__..._ She thought, opening the next letter.

_Princess__Celestia_

_Our__city__is__currently__being__ravaged__by__a__Windigo__attack__, __protection__from__which__we__have__requested__but__not__received__. __As__such__, __we__are__completely__unable__to__send__assistance__, __and__what__citizens__could__join__your__fight__are__currently__battling__the__Windigos__threatening__our__lives__and__livelihoods__._

_-__B__.__F__. __Bricklin__-_

_M__-__ayor__of__Fillydelphia__-_

The next letter was even less encouraging

_The__citizens__of__Cloudsdale__regret__to__inform__you__that__we__cannot__send__forces__at__this__time__._

_Regards_

_-__Admiral__F__.__F__. __Skyscream__-  
__Director__of__Cloudsdale__military__operations_

The second to last letter in the stack was at least positive, to an extent.

_Dear__Princess__Celestia_

_The__cities__of__Dodge__Junction__and__Appeloosa__are__small__, __and__of__little__ability__, __but__we__have__sent__what__citizens__are__willing__to__join__the__fight__with__you__._

We look forward to serving alongside the Equestrian army, and await victory alongside our beloved Princesses.

-Braeburn-

_Dear__Princess__Celestia_

_The__city__of__Hoofington__has__sent__what__volunteers__and__military__members__we__could__afford__to__send__. __The__force__is__small__, __but__will__assist__you__with__your__fight__most__willingly__._

There was no signature on the letter from Hoofington. _How__strange_ Celestia thought. _Oh__well__, __it__does__not__matter__anyway__._

Princess Celestia's ears perked up at the sound of a knock on the door.

"Come in, please" She responded sweetly, trying to mask her upset state.

Princess Luna stuck her head in. "Tia, there is a Griffon dignitary here to see you."

"Thank you, Sister. Tell him I am on the way"

The dignitary was one of the ambassadors from the Griffon kingdom, with whom Celestia and Luna had met before. He was an older gentleman, with a thin and neatly groomed moustache and grey feathers. He wore a gold monocle on his left eye, with a thin gold chain trailing down to clip on one of his feathers.

"Ambassador Broussard I am pleased to meet your acquaintance" Celestia smiled, bowing to him slightly as a sign of respect.

The ambassador bowed as well, and began to speak in a thick french accent. "Bonjour Princess Celestia. I have come from ze Griffon lands to speak to you about your call for our assisstonce."

"Yes, we have been threatened internally with an ancient unicorn force, who are raising an army as we speak to overthrow me as ruler and take over equestria."

"Ah, we see. You wish the Griffon kingdom to send a militarie?"

"Is it possible?"

"It is possibel to ask, though I cannot guarantee... results of any sort."

"That is all I ask, Ambassador. Would you care to dine with us tonight?"

"I would, howezher I am here only for ze afternoon, and am soon to depart."

"A shame,"

"Indeed. I will howezher ask my king to send what he can, if he can, to help you win zhis fight for your land."

"Thank you, ambassador Broussard. I am forever in your debt."

Princess Celestia bowed again, exiting the room. The ambassador did the same, stepping towards a carriage waiting for him in a courtyard.

Chartreuse and Criminee sat side-by-side in their elegantly apportioned carriage. The deep blue velvet was the finest available, comfortable and soft.

Criminee stared out his window at the beautiful scenery around, a scowl on his face. They passed a large wooden windmill on a brick platform. The windmill was busy grinding wheat stores into flour, its four giant wooden blades turning slowly in the gentle breeze.

Chartreuse turned to her brother, looking at his expression of scorn and bitterness.

"Criminee, what ails you?" She asked kindly

"Nothing of you conssssern, Chartreusse" He replied harshly.

"I know that is not true, brother. It pains me to see you this way again."

"For Varnussss' sake, Chartreussse. I have had zhe pleazure of a five zentury break from thiss, musst you sstart again!"

"Brother..." she paused for a moment "brother I love you, all I want is for you to feel loved."

Chartreuse laid a hoof on Criminee's shoulder, feeling the tension worked into his muscles. She knew he was neither happy nor healthy, in the mind at least, and neither had he been since he was a child. Criminee reacted to her touch coldly, shrugging away from his sister as much as he could.

"Nevzehr forget to vwhom your ssoul belongss, Sisster."

"Do not forget why I made that choice, dear brother."

"Und do you regret it yet, or vill you ssoon?"

"Never will I, nor have I. I will find love in you yet!"

"You vill find hate, and my many lovess for hate, nothing more."

"I doubt that my dearest brother could be made entirely of hate, even if he directs so much to me. There is love in you somewhere, despite your own will to leave it behind."

"You havve not vforgotten my hate for you sisster, though you have yet to realisse itss sscope. Begone! You demonic lovving wretch, ere I wissh worse happeningss upon you!"

"You may think that the sickness you possess is not curable, but trust in me that I will find a way to heal the mind within you."

Criminee turned to face his window, merely scoffing in response. "Hmmph!"

Chartreuse smiled, turning back to the scenery outside. _I__will__cure__him__yet__._

A unicorn guard crept slowly and silently through a narrow tunnel built into the walls of canterlot castle long ago. He turned left, climbing a narrow flight of stairs in silence, kicking up dust as he pushed forward.

The guard smiled, looking through a peephole built within the thick wall. On the other side was a painting, cleverly enhanced with magic to form a one-way peephole. The two princesses were talking to each other, in what they thought was a private chamber.

He took out a notepad and quill, scribbling down what he could as they talked.

Princess Luna shook her head. "Tia, is this all we have to work with?" She sighed, fearing that the war would be easily lost.

"We have sought support from the Griffon lands, but their response was cold and indifferent at best."

"Will they help at all?" Luna implored, looking to the elegantly carved ceiling above her.

"Honestly... I doubt it, Luna, I really do."

Luna sighed "So We have no time, and our spies have confirmed that with each passing moment, 'Twilight' and Varnuss grow stronger in number and in fortifications, yet we have so little to work with."

"I know, sister, I know." Celestia

"We must attack, we must catch them by surprise before they do the same to us."

"Nay sister, laying siege to their castle without ability to sustain a blockade will be suicidal."

"If we are unable to overwhelm their defenses it is, but if we get them by surprise."

"And if you don't there will be slaughter, on a massive scale. Hundreds of ponies will be slain at the gates of the enemy."

"I need your army."

"You will not have my army, I must defend Canterlot at all costs. If anything, I need YOU to stay here, Luna."

"Offence is our only chance of victory"

"Defense is our only chance of survival"

Princess Luna stamped the ground. Her hot-headed nature had not changed in 1000 years, and though Celestia needed her more than ever, she also knew that if luna was to blunder, lives and the kingdom were at stake.

"I cannot let you do this, Luna."

"You Cannot stop me, either. We must attack before it is too late."

"Luna, How will I convince you to stop before this gets out of hoof?"

Princess Luna said nothing, shaking her head slowly as she left her sister's chamber. Behind the wall, the guard scribbled in his notebook excitedly, coming to the realization that this information was indeed valuable.

_Foalish__Luna__,_ the guard thought to himself as he silently but quickly descended. On the other side of the wall, he could hear Luna's hurried hoofsteps as the two descended parallel to each other for a long while.

The tunnel he was in joined a vertical shaft filled with rusty iron water pipes. The pipes carried water from the roof above to the basement below. On the other side of the shaft was a rusty and slippery iron ladder.

The guard cautiously placed his weight upon the iron rung, finding that the ladder was still sturdy despite its appearance. He descended into the cave below. The iron pipes followed him down, occasionally dripping water upon the guard's helmet with a soft tink.

At the caves, the iron pipes emptied into a number of cisterns, made out of stained brick. They were there to trap rainwater in case of emergency, giving the citizens inside clean water for weeks in the event of disaster.

A bat with a small red note tied around its right leg landed on the guards shoulder. The guard jumped at the sight of the bat, but calmed down when he realized the bat meant no harm. He tore the note off the bat's leg, reading it.

_Drop__Notes__at__ 154 __Snowden__Street__, __Canterlot__. __Receive__Payment__at__ 34 __Eulalie__Avenue__, __Canterlot__. __Tell__nopony__or__the__deal__is__off__. __You__are__being__watched__._

The guard smiled uneasily, turning to look over his back. He made his way out of the caves, exiting in a manhole cover in a secluded part of the gardens.


	13. Chapter 11 The castle Xanavere

Criminee and Chartreuse arrived at the castle ruins, their convoy halting at the other side of the chasm, which surrounded the castle like a giant moat. All that remained of the construction was the door, and the tower in which Twilight and Varnuss inhabited for a while.

The third carriage in the row opened, as a tall and older Unicorn with a dusty blue coat stepped out onto the dry earth, kicking up small clouds of dust with his first steps. He surveyed the site with his gleaming green eyes, smiling.

Chartreuse and Criminee exited their carriage, joining the older unicorn to look over the ruins. Chartreuse smiled, breathing in slowly to smell the air around her, soaking up the energy and the atmosphere. She walked around, making elegant, sweeping moves as if she were dancing to the music of the world.

Criminee scoffed silently, rolling his eyes at his sister's jovial behavior. He turned his attention back to the unicorn on his right, who was still studying and surveying the intricate details of the ruins.

"What do you zhink, Masster Masszon Litzssinger?" Criminee asked.

"I think this is a large job, but not impossible given the resources we have at our disposal."

"Perfekt! How sshall ve begin?"

Engineer Litzsinger put his hoof to his chin, thinking. "Well, first it is imperative to fix the bridge to this place."

Criminee gave an approving nod, motioning for the other unicorns to exit their carriages. "You heard 'em" the master mason ordered, observing the Unicorn workers as they unloaded.

"The duke really outdid himself this time" He stated, counting the workers as they lined up in front of their respective carriages. There were twelve heavy workers, three draftsmen, four rough masons, five stone carvers, three painters, two architects, a glassblower, and five additional workers simply listed as "general tradesmen".

They joined together at the edge of the chasm, all looking over the castle. Criminee produced a set of instructions he had read over in the carriage ride from Varnuss and Eventide. There were a number of drawings within, all envisioning a grand structure, with tall vaulted ceilings and grand halls.

The castle was to be well fortified, equipped with siege instruments and formidable defenses, however the castle keep was a grand affair, designed with opulence and comfort in mind. One specific demand was that for a ballroom, the grandest ever envisioned.

Criminee passed the instructions to Master Mason Litzsinger. As he flipped through the book, a number of workers banded together and constructed a temporary bridge out of magic. A team of workers crossed the bridge, knocking out one of the remaining walls of the castle for the stones. Another team began to mix a magical mortar. Two of the masons picked stones from the growing piles, and with their magic began to build stone bridge piers, using the magical bridge as a support.

Within a few short minutes, the two piers for the planned drawbridge were complete. The purple glow surrounding the magical mortar faded, indicating that it was dry and ready to hold weight. The master mason nodded to the pair of unicorns, who removed the temporary magical bridge, allowing the bridge piers to stand alone for the first time.

"Imprezsssive work!"

Criminee left the builders to their various tasks and moved inside the castle. He found his mahogany trunk had already been taken inside, and set up with a temporary desk in a side room near the entrance. A neat pile of blank parchment, along with his quill and inkpot were already laid out, awaiting whatever need he might have. Criminee made a mental note to do something about a more permanent setup, but this would suffice for now.

Criminee began to write a letter, in elegant and beautiful calligraphy, a writing style he learned and mastered long ago. His writing could be distinct and stylized if he wished it to be, or so nondescript that it was practically unidentifiable. This letter though was written in the former style, beautiful and elegant writing with stylistic flair and excess.

_Master__Varnuss_

_The__masons__and__laborers__have__been__assigned__their__various__tasks__and__construction__is__underway__. __The__unicorn__force__which__the__Duke__supplied__us__is__more__than__capable__of__building__a__castle__which__will__last__for__a__reign__of__thousands__of__years__. __I__am__personally__overseeing__every__aspect__of__its__construction__, __but__i__have__no__doubt__that__the__team__provided__will__perform__adequately_

Criminee stopped writing, aware of a unicorn who had been standing nervously in the doorway

"What is it?" he asked, hiding his annoyance.

"Sorry to disturb you, master Criminee, but some more shipments of wood and stone have arrived, and you asked to be informed so you could oversee its unloading"

Criminee placed the unfinished report in his open mahogany case by the wall.

"Very wvell" He said, before following the unicorn back out into the courtyard.

Eventide and Chrysalis stepped into two carriages, intricately carved of ice. The changeling guards, four to a carriage, breathed out puffs of frosty air in the cave, as they yearned to leap forward.

"Onward!" Eventide commanded, watching the guards strain and pull at their harnesses, lifting the carriage into the air. Outside, the neatly arranged army of Changelings prepared to take off. Every changeling soldier was clad in different variations of segmented armor, all crafted out of see-through but intense green magical glass.

Rows upon rows of Changeling soldiers jumped off the cold, snowy ground in front of the ice caves. Their wing-beats, all in unison, blew the snow behind them in great gusts. Their insect-like armor shells did not hinder their mobility, because of the light construction, though the armor made chattering noises as they moved.

The thick flakes snow swirling behind the army caught the light of the early morning sun, forming a brilliant white cloud that drifted slowly over the ground before it settled again. Another Carriage pulled out of the cave, this one was also carved of ice, but it was cage-like and menacing. Within it were the two gifts, Lyra and Bon Bon, locked in a tight embrace, comforting each other in this terrifying situation.

The first group to follow the carriages were Chrysalis' guards, armed with Halberds and very dark green armor with gold decorations. These were the most loyal and fierce of the soldiers, dedicated to sacrifice their lives to protect their queen.

The Changeling Longbow archers joined behind the guards, lightly armored and highly mobile. They carried quivers filled with magical arrows, with black stalks and tips made of the same green glass. At the end of the archer group were the Crossbow archers, who wore slightly thicker armor and carried thick crossbows with the ability to pierce even the strongest metal armor.

The next group was the heavily armored troops, wearing the thickest armor and wielding war hammers and heavy battle axes or green glass flails. They were selected for their strength, and their ability to wield the heaviest weapons of war.

In the final group flew the Changeling light soldiers, armed with war scythes and daggers. Their armor was slightly heavier than the archers, designed for mobility and protection. They were joined with the swordsmen, armed with viciously serrated claymores and daggers.

The great army flew at a fast but not exhausting pace over the icy tundra, worried not about discovery due to their formidable and intimidating number. Their route circumscribed the mountains, to save time and energy.

Eventide had never realized the size of the Equestrian territories before she flew over them in their entirety. Their expanse was incredible, filled with resources and riches enough even to satiate her now greedy and power hungry heart.

The army flew through the night, carefully avoiding flying over the griffon lands. They stuck to territories friendly to Germaneigh to avoid striking fear and forging enemies of indifferent to the war. The morning light revealed that they were flying over the high steppe neighboring the Griffon lands, the southern border of which were the Drackenridge mountains.

Eventide left her carriage mid flight, morphing into a phoenix in order to fly alongside the troops. Chrysalis followed suit, and the two Queens rallied a little more strength into their army with their sacrifice of effort. The changelings were becoming tired from the nonstop flying, but the sight of their two queens in flight put strength back into their wings and determination into their eyes.

Eventide unhitched the two icy carriages from the guards hauling them. The carriages fell to the ground far below, shattering. The eight guards assigned to the carriages beamed with pride, relieved of the weight behind them, and pushed forwards towards the mountains.

After fifty six hours of flight, The army landed at the Castle Xanavere. It was nearing night in Equestria, though the outline of the formidable structure was clearly visible in the dim light, the sun not having completely set. Eventide landed alongside Chrysalis, sinking their hooves slightly into the gravel of the courtyard.

Eventide admired the black and deep blue color scheme of her castle, decorated with intricate pointed arches and large windows. The outermost walls were equally ornate, though they were designed to withstand the strongest efforts of siege equipment.

On each of the eight castle siege towers stood grand Catapults and Trebuchets, made of the strongest wood the forests could provide. They were being wound and released without ammo by a number of unicorn task-forces, proud of their fine constructions.

A green earthpony approached Eventide, giving her and Chrysalis a slight bow.

"Queen Eventide, Queen Chrysalis. My Master Varnuss will be delighted to hear of your safe arrival from this long journey."

"I am sure he will, and your name?" Eventide asked, her curiosity roused by the very peculiar politeness and demeanor the little green earthpony held even in the midst of a castle preparing for war.

"I am Chartreuse, your resident butler, and your personal servant. Varnuss thought we would get along well."

Eventide smiled, "Be sure to tell him I am very appreciative."

"I will, but before I do, Varnuss would also like to let you know that a feast is in preparation for Everypony."

Chrysalis and Eventide nodded. "Thank you Chartreuse."

As Chartreuse left, Chrysalis turned to Eventide with a toothy grin. "I will organize my army for the coming feast. You ought rest."

Eventide nodded to Chrysalis before trotting towards the center of the castle. Two Hoofenheim guards, both bearing menacingly sharp steel Septums, opened the heavy golden doors to the castle keep, which stretched forty feet into the air. The doors swung open welcoming Eventide into the ornate and beautiful grand hall.

At the end of the grand hall stood another pair of already open gold doors, beyond which were two obsidian thrones. Varnuss jumped out of his throne at the sight of Eventide, the red leather cushion distending back into its original form. His hooves clacked down the black marble floors, which were polished enough to see the reflection of the vaulted ceilings far above.

"Vhat do you zhink, Eventide?"

"It is... beautiful" Eventide exclaimed, gazing in amazement at the stained glass window being constructed above the thrones, which depicted Varnuss and Eventide as phoenixes, set above the scene of a solar eclipse.

The changeling army followed Eventide in, marveling at the beautiful castle keep. The engineers ushered them into a red and black dining room, with rows upon rows of jade tables, set with solid silver tableware laden with a feast. No expense was spared anywhere, from the high-backed mahogany chairs to the elegant carvings, tapestries, and paintings.

Varnuss smiled at Eventide, "Now Zhis iz a Kassle upon vhich ze vorld iz meant to be ruled."

Eventide nodded in Agreement, moving alongside Varnuss as they made their way to the head of the grand table. They sat beside each other, with Queen Chrysalis at the other end. Between them sat the highest ranked changeling and Hoofenheim military members, as well as the highest ranked unicorn builders. Everypony nodded in agreement over the delicious food, which took the whole day for the chefs to prepare.

The tables were waited on by a staff of guards and the like, as Chartreuse and a few cooking staff members tended to drink requests. Eventide watched her carefully, studying her quick yet graceful movements and happy demeanor as she brought bottle after bottle to the tables. As Chartreuse approached the grand table, Eventide caught her attention with a nod. She motioned with her head towards a side door, mouthing the words "Five Minutes" to Chartreuse. Chartreuse nodded in understanding, before darting off towards the kitchen.

The changelings feasted on hearts of lamb, and carefully prepared flowers, which they devoured with relish. The Hoofenheim soldiers, vegetarians by nature, enjoyed salads with apple pie on the side. Both armies drank magically brewed apple cider, purchased covertly from Sweet Apple Acres.

Eventide, Chrysalis, and Varnuss enjoyed the finest meal available, roasted Equestrian Bald Eagle, though it was cooked and garnished with parsley, with a salad to the side. Chrysalis smiled at the two, showing her sharp fangs which were excellently suited to devour the great bird.

"This is the best meal I have ever enjoyed, Eventide!"

"Thank you" Eventide replied, her smile only half sincere as she was tired nature. She scanned over the great dining hall, watching everypony enjoying their meal and the company beside them. The window to the forest gave her a glance at ponyville, off in the distance. Her friends were there, likely wondering where she was at the moment, not realizing how much she had changed and how little of the Twilight they would remember was left on the world.

_How__little__..._

Eventide turned back to her meal, finding the will to enjoy the food placed before her with so much labor and care. The atmosphere began to absorb her again, the cheerful music and the present but not overpowering din created by hundreds of simultaneous conversations.

"So queen Chrysalis," Eventide began, facing the black queen "is it possible for me to learn to decipher the Changeling tongue?"

Queen Chrysalis nodded, swallowing her food. "Oh certainly, Eventide, If you are willing to learn..."

"Zhe baziks arre aktuelly qvite eazy" Varnuss chimed in. "Eet's howw you zay, _easy__to__learn__und__difikult__tu__mazter_. Perzonally I pikked up zome vehn I vwaz young, und mein vather und I zpent zome time in ze kompany of ze Zchangelngz und zehr heimatland."

Chrysalis's eyes beamed, filling slightly with tears as she said breathily "So I DID see you... you were vaguely familiar and yet much changed, as I was. Remember the beautiful landscapes, clear, warm breezes? Oh how i miss them"

"Vehll vehll vehll, Ve havve more in kommon zahn even I zhought. Und yez, zhe zummerz vwere partikularrly peazeful"

Leaving them to their reminiscing, Eventide excused herself from the table. Varnuss nodded, and smiled at her before he continued to exchange memories of their past. She smiled back and left, making sure sure to walk in no particular hurry, sohe would not see the need to go after her.

Eventide watched the door to the dining room close behind her, and turned her head to the left to find Chartreuse beside her. Chartreuse smiled, and she smiled back.

"Thank you, I needed some rest and being at such a feast was not exactly my objective for the evening."

"I am glad to be of assistance, My queen!"

"Oh, please just call me Eventide, no titles are necessary."

"Certainly, my qu... I'm sorry, Eventide."

Just as Chartreuse caught her mistake, she cowered and bowed slightly. Eventide raised her hoof and patted Chartreuse's back.

"No need to be sorry, Chartreuse"

Chartreuse smiled and wiped a tear out of her eye. "Thank you."

"Chartreuse, do you know the way to my chamber?"

"By heart"

"Please show me the way, I would like some rest."

Chartreuse smiled and led eventide through the beautifully decorated halls of the Castle. Varnuss had spared no expense with the construction, as evident in the quality of the marble and the decorations everywhere. A long spiral staircase took Eventide and Chartreuse up to one of the towers, ornately finished and visually appealing.

Eventide spun around in the beautiful room, coming to the sudden realization that it was the very same room she and Varnuss did their lessons together. The bed was exactly the same, the simple and yet elegant onyx-framed fixtures. The fireplace, originally white, was redone with black marble, and Celestia's cutie mark was replaced with a new design, half her cutie mark next to half of Varnuss' cutie mark.

It was then, that Eventide saw her telescope. Just as it always was, next to a window, pointed up at a very convenient angle for use. It was right next to Varnuss' book, which occupied its own velvet-lined display case. There was a bookshelf too, with some choice books from her library and some more rare titles from Hoofenheim as well.

What impressed Eventide most, however, were the chairs. There were two, Varnuss' chair was finished with red velvet and his cutie mark was sewn into its back. Eventide's chair was of similar design, with blue velvet and her cutie mark as well. As soon as her eye caught sight of the chairs situated in front of the fire, she could not help but settle herself into it.

Eventide delighted in the comfort of her chair, it seemed just right for her, perfect, almost too perfect. She absorbed herself into the velvet for a moment, before suddenly realizing that her servant still waited outside. With a quick jerk of her neck, Eventide motioned for Chartreuse to follow her into the room and join her in front of the fire.

"Eventide, do you need anything?"

"Just... a little tea, for me and yourself as well, and good conversation."

With that, Chartreuse wheeled around and trotted out of the room. Eventide listened to her hooves on the staircase, suddenly realizing the walk she just made her servant do. It was too late, however, and all Eventide could do was wait for Chartreuse to return upstairs.

"Chartreuse, I am sorry, I forgot you had to walk all that way for me." Eventide apologized as soon as she saw Chartreuse poke her head into her chamber.

"No need, no need. What tea would you like?"

"Whatever you have" Eventide replied, seeing as that Chartreuse only brought a single tea pot.

"I have Chamomile, Earl Grey, and Peppermint."

"I would like the Chamomile, with a touch of peppermint, but please don't go anywhere if that can't be done."

Chartreuse nodded, placing her silver tea tray on a table next to Eventide's bed. The set held a teapot and spaces for eight cups, though only two cups were in the set this time. She held the teapot aloft and filled the cup closest to Eventide with the sweet-smelling Chamomile tea. For a second, Eventide thought the color of the tea changed, between where it left the pot and when it hit the cup, though she discredited this as tiredness.

When Chartreuse filled her own glass, however, Eventide could tell that the smell and color of the tea was different. It was unmistakably a black tea, earl grey.

"Chartreuse, I sense trickery here!" Eventide chuckled, sipping her tea slowly.

Chartreuse blushed lightly, opening the teapot to reveal three kinds of tea, separated by some sort of invisible barrier. Eventide chuckled at the magical trick, but her laugh stopped immediately as soon as she came to a realization.

"Chartreuse, you are not a unicorn..."

"Nay, I am not."

"Then... h... how? Its not... possible. This can't be real."

Chartreuse smiled, her voice filling with mischief. "It is. I'll never tell though."

Eventide smiled, lost in thought. This earthpony roused her curiosities in an infinite number of ways.

"Chartreuse, could you do me a favor?"

"Eventide, there are no favors. Your wish is my command!"

Eventide patted Chartreuse on the head. "There is no need to be that... servant-like... but anyway, Please send for Varnuss. I am soon to retire, and I would like his company."

Chartreuse smiled "Of course, I believe he would be delighted to come, if only given the excuse to leave the dinner table."

Chartreuse disappeared down the staircase, leaving Eventide to test the firmness of her bed for the first time without being extraordinarily exhausted. The bed was almost perfect, not too soft and not too hard, just like... her bed at home.

Suddenly, Eventide understood why the furniture felt so familiar to her and so wonderful. It felt exactly like her furniture in ponyville, a touch which could have only been the result of Varnuss putting a little thought into things.

She rolled into the bed and relaxed, pulling herself a little deeper under the covers as hoofsteps came from the staircase below her. She relaxed her muscles and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep just before Varnuss rounded the corner and entered the room.

Just as she heard the door creak open, Varnuss' hoofsteps became very very soft, as he lightly treaded over towards the sleeping Eventide. Carefully and slowly, he slipped under the covers and wrapped his forelegs around her body, giving her a light kiss on the neck.

"Good Evening... _Master_Varnuss!" Eventide cooed nuzzling Varnuss cheek-to-cheek.

Varnuss chuckled softly "Oh Eventidee, I am no morre ein mazter to you az you are to me, ve are keeng und qveen, not ztudent und teacher."

Twilight giggled a little and snuggled closer to Varnuss' warm body. "Varnuss?"

"Yez?"

"Can you tell me a bedtime story?"

"Hmmm... I kannot zhink ofv ein better ideah!"

"Vell Eventide, Every Zigmal haz zheir ovn talentz vith zhe magicks. I myzelv, vfound ability vith... 'kreation ofv fire to be my talent. My vather vas heez bezt vith telepathie, und my zister vas bezt mit... love for zome reaszon.

"You had a sister?"

"Yez, I vill esplain, een a leetle beet. Az a young ztudent, I vas ovten levt to babyzit my zister, and I vood eentertain herr vith firez. I voould meake ein leetle ball ofv fire in my hoovez, und zhen I vould meake eet danze or kreate a leetle puppet showw vor her."

"Roszette vas her name, I kannot zay vehre or vwho sie iz..."

Varnuss sighed looking up to the ceiling, with a smnile on his face, but a touch of longing and regret in his eyes. He could feel Eventide's breath slowing, though she was still awake, and still listening to his story.

"Chartreuze vwas zhere too, sie vwas a mozherly figuer vfor Roszette, and sie uzed to breeng usz und leetle snackz or perhapz tea. I sie vwaz morre ofv ein Mozher vfor Roszette zhan ein zervant, und I zhink zhat ze two reelly bonded zhen."

Varnuss felt Eventide's breathing change in his pause. He was about to start another part of his story, but he came to realize that she was fast asleep in his arms. Soon thereafter, he let his own eyes flutter closed, and fell asleep himself, still embracing Eventide's soft fur coat.

Criminee walked through the unfinished portions of the castle, detailing everything in a black notebook with his favorite quill. After every bout of notetaking, Criminee slipped his notepad back into his tan saddlebag, which he rarely let out of his sight unless it was squirreled away in a safe or under his desk.

High above the ballroom floor, a Number of artists finished an ornate stucco ceiling, detailing the art with gold leaf paint. On a balcony above, and to the right, Chartreuse poked her head between two curtains, careful to avoid being seen by anypony. She took a sip of a deep green liquid in her wine glass, smiling at the intricate mix of flavors provided by her concoction and the slight effervescent rush it gave her.

She had been following Criminee through his day, to comfort the ponies he berated and maintain balance and happiness, though the project lingered on. Criminee below turned around, looking over his back. He was continuously suspicious of "Chartreuse and her meddling ways," though there was little he could do to stop her, save for the ultimate solution.

Chartreuse drew the curtains and sunk lower down, careful to avoid being spotted by her brother. She feared him, likely as he feared her. For Criminee, this fear was spurned by misunderstanding, and for Chartreuse the opposite was true. To Chartreuse, her brother stood as a blight on her theory, that ponies are basically good. Who else but Criminee sports a cutie mark as a mark upon his very soul. A pen splattering blood upon one's coat is hardly a talent, unless one is so evil that he lives to feed upon corrupted contracts, stolen gold, and the bitter tears of financial ruin (though not on his part).

Criminee...

Chartreuse sighed, watching her brother talk to the painters up above. Her vantage point was not terrific for the nature of the ballroom, and she could only hear a few words rising from her brother below. She could tell by his tone that he was in an unnaturally good mood for the day, though for Criminee being in an unnaturally good mood would be a cold and indifferent state. Criminee had a heart of pure gold indeed, metallic, worth a definite value measured to the ounce and nothing more, and as cold and unfeeling as a rock itself.

Criminee stared up at the painters with his characteristic scowl across his face. He said something about a schedule, in a harsh and condescending tone, typical for his dealings with subordinates. He returned to gaze at his own reflection in the polished marble floor. He continued to scowl, but Chartreuse could tell that he did indeed enjoy gazing at his own form.

Despite the horrid facial posture Criminee held as a fashion, that is refusing to smile and having done so for years in a row, he remained handsome. Chartreuse also retained her beauty and youth, one of the perks of working with Varnuss. She sighed at the thought, wishing she would be allowed to grow old and die, if only because she detested being the servant of an evildoer.

Chartreuses' position in the world was the fault of her brother, though she held no malice towards him for pushing her down the path. She knew, in her heart of hearts, that it was her own mistake to follow her brother down into the depths of this hell of a reality. At that time, Chartreuse believed there was a little of the brother she once knew left in him, the kind, caring, loving Criminee that Varnuss destroyed.

Criminee's cutie mark used to be that of a pen, splattering numbers upon his coat, not blood. He used to be kind, or at least tolerably so, and would be pleasurable to interact with and talk to. He even used to smile, so very long ago.

It was not entirely Varnuss who changed him, though there was a different Criminee before. In any case, Criminee was indeed destroyed, and he lives in a bleak world, a hell where he experiences neither sorrow nor joy, and only numbers cross his path. _If__only__I__could__help__him__see__that__he__doesn__'__t__need__to__suffer__so__, __he__could__simply__leave__, __walk__away__from__Varnuss__and__live__his__life__in__happiness__and__peace__again__._ Chartreuse thought... _if__only__._ But who was she kidding, Criminee would never reach that point again. He was too corrupt, too soulless, and too stuck in his ways of coldness and hate.

There lies the difference between Varnuss and Criminee. Varnuss, despite his flaws, is still a pony. He loves Eventide and would sacrifice himself to save her, if he needed to. He was not evil, and in fact he was compassionate and generally kind. Chartreuse saw hope for Varnuss, he would never kill just to kill, and even in the midst of a world at war, Varnuss remained a creature with his morality intact.

Criminee, however was no such pony. He was a monster through and through, and for once in her life, Chartreuse came to realize that there was little, if any hope for him. She chose her path to try and save him, but even after 500 years, Criminee was still hateful and cruel.

An unnoticed blot of varnish caught an artist's hoof by surprise, sending the unicorn over the edge of the scaffolding. The drop was eighty feet, maybe more, enough for the Unicorn to realize his peril and watch in horror as the marble floor approached.

Criminee sidestepped carefully, catching the falling bottle of gold paint with his hoof. Criminee's catch was skillful, however a large blob of paint was able to slosh out the side of the jar. The gold-infused paint fell to the floor in a graceful arc and splattered on the marble tiles.

The body of the unicorn smacked onto the hard and unforgiving marble floor. He scowled disapprovingly at the unicorn, who by some miracle was still alive. Criminee slowly and deliberately set the paint down on the floor, writing a few notes in his notebook. He turned upwards to the other artist, staring down at the scene in horror.

The fallen unicorn tried to push himself onto his feet, but felt a sharp pull deep inside his abdomen and fell back to the floor. He writhed over in pain as blood slowly began to seep out of his moutn and trickle onto the floor. Criminee took more notes and stared intently at the paint spill, doing a calculation in his head. Suddenly, Crimine became enraged, coming to a concrete number for the value of spilled gold paint. shed onto the tile floor, splattering blood upon Criminee's collar. Almost fuming at the nostrils, he turned upwards toward the other artist.

The other artist could only quivver in fear at the demanor change in Criminee. Moments before he appeared calm, collected, and somewhat neutral to the past events. The paint, the little spot of somewhat pricey paint, sent him reeling into a sea of anger. Without even saying a word, the artist could see that Criminee saw bits fly out of the coffers and land onto the floor. As he began to speak. his accent came thick and heavy, seething from his mouth in anger and rage.

"ZZhe zsloth und zzsslovenlinessssz ofv yourrrr partnerr hasss cauzssed you to vverrrk... OVVZERTIME!"

The other unicorn unicorn was bleeding out as he lay on his side on the cold marble floor. The pool of blood, which lapped at at the bottoms of Criminees hooves continued to expand as the life of the artist drained.

"H... Help... me" The unicorn whispered, moving his hoof in attempt to grasp Criminee's leg. The red earth pony stepped back slowly, pulling drops of blood off the floor as he walked.

"AND ze vaste ofv paint IZZ noted!"

It was only a few seconds later, when the Unicorn slipped into oblivion. The corners of Criminee's mouth pulled upwards into a perfectly flat line, the closest Criminee could manage to a smile.

He stared back up at the unicorn artist above him, who had ceased to work in order to watch the scene below him.

"GIIT BACKK TU VERK!"

The unicorn obliged, resuming his work on the castle ceiling, though a few tears were welling up in his eyes. Fortunately, Criminee was unable to see this because of the distances involved.

Chartreuse backed away from the Curtain, disgusted with what she saw. She ran down the hallway, tears streaming from her eyes as her hooves clacked on the smooth stone.

Criminee's ears perked up at the sudden influx of sound. He stepped out of the ballroom slowly and silently, listening to the hoofsteps echoing in the building. He raised his right hoof, beating it with the tempo of the hooves in the distance, thinking.

"Ah, Chartreuzsse, your disstinctivve canter I do rekognizssse" He exclaimed with a sly expression in his eyes. He was still scowling, as if his lips were simply stuck in a permanent state of scorn. Criminee's emotions, however could bleed through into his eyes in a surreal fashion, as if they were the only remaining window as to how he felt, unless a pony was to truly understand him.

The artist's fall had caused quite a stir, as workers from all sectors rushed in to assist their fallen friend. In the commotion, Criminee snuck out of the room and took a short side trip towards M.M. Litzinger's desk. He smiled, seeing the blueprint he needed lying face up on the his desk.

With a quick swipe of his hoof, he replaced the old blueprint with one waiting in his saddlebag. At a glance they looked exactly the same, the work of a master forger. However there was one unnoticed detail. One structurally insignificant wall was pushed out three feet, leaving a piece of deadspace right next to a maintenance passageway. It would never be noticed, not for years, but the dead space lined right up with a hidden space on a floor below.

Criminee left, re-entering the halls, knowing that his little sister had already fled back to the solace of her wine cellar, drowning away her feelings by tending to and organizing her already orderly arrangement of bottles. He turned up a flight of stairs, heading for his desk, and the comforting world of accounting.

"Bitzzs, and numberss, my saviorss and saintsss!" He exclaimed, locking the heavy brass lock on his door with a satisfying click. Although he showed no outward sign, he was pleased with how his permanent office had turned out.

From inside his file chest, Criminee fetched his earlier report to Varnuss and placed it on his desk. He briefly scanned over it before adding the following lines

_Addendum__: __My__sister__Chartreuse__still__labors__under__her__delusions__that__I__am__in__need__of__help__, __but__concern__yourself__not__of__this__. __As__we__speak__, __the__Castle__Xanavere__'__s__construction__is__almost__complete__, __the__laborers__completing__many__of__their__tasks__ahead__of__schedule__. __The__designs__given__have__been__improved__upon__by__the__master__architects__and__master__masons__in__our__force__, __who__are__building__this__structure__as__a__shining__beacon__of__art__and__culture__, __which__will__impress__upon__the__souls__of__all__to__the__magnificence__and__grandeur__of__our__empire__._

Criminee finished penning the report, pausing to read over the text. He shook his head, and crumpled the parchment between his hooves, tossing it into a wastebasket.

Criminee opened a large, leather-bound log book, finding the last page with writing impressed upon it. He dipped his quill into the inkwell, and began to record strings of numbers in the log from memory. He paused, making an almost mechanical calculating sound from his throat as he figured something out inside his head.

"One meellion vfive hundret three thousssand four minuss sseven hundret ssix thousssand sseventy nine iss sseven hundret ninety ssix thousssand nine hundret twenty vfive."

This number was recorded in the book with diligence, in Criminee's businesslike calligraphy style. The writing was precise, consistent, and very even, as if it were made by a machine instead of a pony. Criminee's writing was in fact so consistent, every letter and symbol was written in the same way as every other of its kind, even from years previous.

Criminee kept on writing, recording, and occasionally figuring a number or two out in his head well into the evening.


	14. Chapter 12 Luna's Charge

"Any moment now..." Eventide muttered, as she and Varnuss watched over their castle.

According to their best information, Luna and a small force were fast on their way to the Everfree forest, hoping to catch the castle by surprise.

"Don't vorry lovve" Varnuss reassured her "Ze kassel lookz undefvended, but our zoldiers vait, out of zight, readdy tu ponunze."

Varnuss had indeed thought things over well. The drawbridge was down, and only a few guards stood up at the parapets, making the castle appear defended, if ever so lightly. Just beneath the parapets, however lay rows of archers. In the courtyard, the changelings and foot soldiers waited, ready to pour out of the castle and attack.

"She is in the forest, right at the clearing" Eventide commented, pointing her telescope right at the treeline. "I think she is taking the bait."

Out of the Everfree forest, a small force of soldiers in camouflaged armor spilled into the clearing. The visible guards on the top of the castle followed their orders and began to scramble frantically, appearing as unprepared as they could be.

Princess Luna smiled, encouraged by the sight of the disorganized scramble atop the castle. She raised her hoof and pointed forward, signaling her troops to advance quickly. Little did she know that just at the hooves of the scrambling guards waited the real archers.

"Perfect, Perfect!" Eventide exclaimed just as the castle doors began to close as Luna's army rushed over the drawbridge towards the castle. The doors could move very quickly, but that was not the illusion she wanted to create.

The confident forces below took aim with their longbows and waited for luna's signal. As she dropped her hoof, the soldiers let a single volley of arrows at the castle, picking off a few of the still scrambling guards.

Eventide's troops waited in silence as she contemplated everything going on in the battle. The archers reloaded and sent another volley of arrows over the castle walls, though this time the guards ducked down to avoid being slain.

"NOWW!" Eventide boomed with a magical voice. In an instant, the archers that waited below the parapets rose up and took aim. In Luna's eyes, the formerly silent castle became a sudden burst of activity. The former disorganized scramble became a magnificently regimented effort as arrows began to rain upon her.

"RETREAT TO THE FOREST" Was her cry, too late for the soldiers who were already slaughered in the rain of arrows. Luna's force made a beeline for the trees, crossing over the drawbridge and back towards the everfree forest to stand their ground.

The battlefield became a game, like chess or checkers, which Eventide could organize and play with as she pleased. She moved the guards, maximizing their effectiveness against the now hidden archers. She spotted their motions within the forest, finding their positions and the location of a somewhat larger force just behind.

Even with the advantage of tree cover, Eventide telepathically relayed the positions of the enemy directly to the defending army, and in what seemed like an instant, the tide of battle shifted massively. The forces attacking the castle panicked and scattered, realising the forest cover amounted to little, allowing the organized and regimented archers on the castle to pick them off one-by-one.

Eventide smiled. "There is ONE more card to play, LUNA!"

Eventide turned around to a waiting soldier and nodded. He blinked once and trotted back down the long spiral staircase. When he reached the bottom, he too nodded towards a superior, who looked up to the gate operator.

Their eyes met, and with a single nod, and a nod to the troops, everything was arranged

The golden castle gates swung open with a heavy boom, as they slammed into the sturdy stone walls.

A loud battle cry began to build from the castle from hundreds of soldiers all pumped up and hungry for battle. The blend and dissonance caused by the many different voices all screaming as loud as they could in unison made the opposing army shudder in terror.

"HOOOOOOUUUUAAAAAHH!"

A bunch of crows took flight from the unsettling sound, taking wing to escape the battlefield and find quieter ground. Their jet black bodies blotted out the sun in some ponies eyes for a moment as the crows cast an eerie undulating shadow on the ground below.

Under the unifying sound of a long battle cry, Changeling and Hoofenhiem soldiers began to pour out of the castle like salt from a sack. The first soldiers out were the regimented and organized troops from Hoofenheim, who took up running in a neat square formation towards the forest. A line of steadfast and strong earthpony soldiers took up the front line of the assault. They shielded a well thought out mixture of balanced light soldiers behind them, who were carefully placed to supplement their heavy hitting comrades.

While the formation of Hoofenheim soldiers cleared the gate, the buzzing Changeling army rose out of the Castle walls. Like a great group of wasps, the changelings formed an unorganized but coordinated cloud. Individual changelings appeared to dart amongst themselves in random and frenzied swirling motions, but the group moved as one coordinated unit of battle. The cloud began to move over the forest, like a great swarm of locusts preparing to descend upon a golden field.

Though the Changeling horde appeared disorganized as a fashion, Eventide found it remarkably easy to control their behavior. The changelings flight patterns were a small portion of their hive-like mentality and insect-borne instincts. Unlike the more traditional Hoofenheim army, Changelings pass orders amongst themselves with waves of signals, some chemical and others mental. Orders passed through their horde as fast as lightning, without any words ever being said, a communication method that lent itself very well to Eventide's methods of warfare.

With a single sweep of her hooves, Eventide directed the formidable changeling horde towards a weak spot in the Enemy defenses, a masterful strategy that would split the enemy line in two.

Princess Luna lowered her eyeglasses in horror, as the buzzing array of armored changelings began to descend over her army lines. She witnessed many of her soldiers retreating or changing position out of fear.

"We command that you HOLD YOUR POSITIONS" She screamed, knowing that it was too late to regain the careful and strategic placement of all of her units. She scanned over the forest, relieved to see that most of her archers remained in formation.

Luna raised her hoof, watching her archers stretch their graceful yew longbows in unison. The army from Hoofenheim approached the forest clearing.

"Come closer..." Luna whispered to herself, holding her hoof in the air.

"Closer..."

Luna's team were well trained, and not a single arrow was loosed early. The deep blue princess dropped her hoof in a graceful arc, and her archers released a great volley of arrows all at once, which streaked across the sky in the hundreds. The arrows sliced through the air towards the advancing soldiers, raining directly into the army's ranks.

For the first time in a while, a thin smile grew across Luna's muzzle. The volley of arrows had quite an effect on the moving army of mixed fighters, which pleased luna to an extent. The heavily-armed soldiers were reasonably protected from the assault, though a few had met their end when a lucky arrow hit the thinnest portions of their armor. The most impressive of these deaths was that of a burly stallion wielding a large brass battle axe. A single arrow struck him in the middle of his neck armor, coming cleanly out the other side. His severed jugular vein covered the pony in front of him with a shower of ruby-red blood, an unsettling and somehow artistic sight.

Arrows ran through the lightly-armored units as if they were not wearing armor at all. Eventide watched this scene, flustered and somewhat enraged. Though she still had the main bulk of her army advancing, a great percentage of her light soldiers were taken out, and the onslaught of arrows did little to boost morale.

The Hoofenheim army pushed forwards, reaching the edge of the forest before another volley of arrows could be sent their way. As the soldiers approached, the canterlot force replaced their bows, drawing various lengths of blades. Some soldiers brandished long claymores some of which were forged before Celestia's time. Other soldiers chose to wield their favorite daggers, razor sharp and ready to rend flesh at lightning speeds.

A large, dark blue earth pony wearing one hundred pounds of steel plates was one of the first soldiers to come to the edge of the forest. With an almost effortless swing of his large steel battle axe, he split the mane of an ill-prepared archer. The archer's brain slipped out of it's skull, splattering onto the ground in a shower of blood.

Eventide smiled at this artful display of fighting prowess, being the first blood spilled in her favored fashion, up close and personal. A couple more foolish and unfortunate souls in the Canterlot army were killed before they were able to draw their blades, a mistake the survivors of this battle were unlikely to repeat again.

In the confusion and haste of battle, Princess Luna had forgotten to keep her eyes on the Changeling forces. The changelings were nowhere to be found, until the princess turned around. By the time Princess Luna realized she was surrounded, it was too late for her army to escape. The Changeling soldiers began to dive inwards, baring their fangs and their weapons of choice.

The first changelings to dive into the forest bore their Halberds, devilishly sharp but light and controllable. They zipped into the forest with great efficiency, cutting into the back of Luna's army with short and intense waves of attack.

As Changeling and Hoofenheim soldiers seeped into the forest from both directions like water seeps into a cloth, Luna's forces lost their organization and structure. Fighting from both sides was never an ideal position to remain in, and Princess Luna knew it.

Changelings and lighter Hoofenhiem soldiers rushed past their heavy comrades, tracking down any Canterlot enemies that attempted to flee from the sides of the great battle. Those that stayed to fight were mercilessly slaughtered, challenged by suits of steel with ponies inside.

A canterlot soldier, a deep green unicorn mare with a bow on her back waited upon a high tree branch, waiting for the right moment. She drew a large knife from a leather sheath, watching an unsuspecting steel-clad Hoofenhiem earthpony below her. In a flash, she jumped out of the tree, landing on the earthpony and knocking him off his hooves. With a quick flick of her muscles she mounted him before he could buck her away, raising her knife high into the air.

The unicorn swept the knife in a graceful arc, slicing through the air to bury her favorite blade deep into his eye socket. The stallion screamed, as the knife punctured his skull, slicing into his frontal lobe. she grinned and jumped off him just as his other eye rolled back into his head and closed for the last time. The unicorn scanned the battlefield, looking for another opponent.

Two changelings, both wearing light glass armor, flew side by side with a length of thick yet sharp wire stretched taut between them. They scanned the fray for a suitable victim, zeroing in on the deep green mare standing over their fallen comrade with a proud smile. The two changelings looked at each other, nodding in agreement to end the Unicorn's life. She to smile at the two changelings sweeping towards her, and licked some of the blood off her trusty knife. She ducked, rolling behind a tree which forced the changelings to veer sharply.

The two Changelings turned right, snapping their cord taught between their forelegs, flying side by side. They quickly passed to the sides of a grey pegasus stallion bearing an iron warhammer. The wire snapped through his neck quickly, though the cut was so level that the stallion's head stayed on its rightful pedestal.

For a moment he didn't realise anything was wrong, but his knees began to buckle and his whole body felt numb. The stallion came to the quick realization that he couldn't breathe, as curtains of warm blood cascaded out of the stinging wound around his neck. He tried to gain control and move his hoof hoof , but his trusty muscles wouldn't respond. Just in that moment, as the stallion's mortality became abundantly clear, an arrow fell from the sky and landed square between his eyes. The force of the arrow was the final push which caused the stallion's head to tumble off its body, causing a little fountain of blood to gush out of the headless neck.

The twin changelings flew away, laughing, but became careless in their jovial mood. A tree came between the pair, pulling the cord taught upon their forelegs. Their hole-riddled fore legs almost tore out of their sockets from the force as they wrapped around a tree, causing the two to swing towards each other and hit their heads together with a loud thunk. Startled, it took a few moments for them to realise that they were hanging upside down. The pair looked to each other, finding that their cord was buried deeply into the wood of the tree, offering no chance to escape alone.

The changelings looked over, noticing the dark green unicorn casually approaching them. The two redoubled their efforts to escape, which only made the deep green unicorn smile. She flung her knife back out of its sheath, wiping the blade on one of their flanks, before she drew it towards their necks.

In that instant, a gleaming silver warhammer sank deeply into the green mare's skull, breaking her horn off and piercing into her brain. The deep red stallion jerked the hammer out of the mare, smiling upwards to the changelings. The stallion pushed the deep green mare over, standing on her ribcage in order to reach upwards to the cord.

The red earthpony winked at his earthpony brothers, pulling out a black hunting knife with vicious serrations. He brought it up towards the cord, but halted, frozen and immobile. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he rolled over on top of the dead mare, revealing an arrow sunk into the back of his head. The two changelings shook their heads at each other, watching the battle unfold in front of them.

Two Pegasi captains sat silently, hiding in a tree, high above the battlefield. They looked to each other, nodding. They made their choice, to save their friends with their own lives. Soon, the changeling horde would envelop and destroy them, but in the process they knew they would be able to pick off many of the enemy in the process. All they had to do was wait and be unnoticed, and so they held their silence as the battle raged on beneath them.

One of the pair, a deep grey stallion, wore a belt full of knives strapped tightly to his chest. His cutie mark was a throwing star, a weapon he was fond of, which he carried several. From the tall tree, he was confident that he could sink one of his knives into anything within fifty meters or so. The powder blue mare next to him held her favorite longbow, a family heirloom with which she was an expert shot.

From the treetop, they watched the entire scene with the pair changelings from their dire mistake, to the ensuing string of dire mistakes made by ponies on all sides. They had both considered ending the plight of the changelings below them, but to keep their position concealed, they failed to act. Two Hoofenhiem soldiers approached from the western portion of the woods to help their trapped comrades.

The grey stallion tapped the mare on her shoulder with the blued steel tip of his favorite knife. The mare relaxed her bow, preventing one of her arrows from flying, which she almost launched into one of the changelings hearts. The mare looked to the stallion quizzically, who then used his knife to point out the approaching soldiers. The mare nodded at the stallion, giving him a smile of thanks. He returned the gesture, and slid his lucky knife back into its sheath.

The stallion and the mare made a few hoof motions to each other, planning their course of action. Just as the earth pony and the unicorn were about to reach for the wire, the mare and the stallion unleashed their attack. The mare released an arrow, which sailed through the air to shoot straight through the earthpony's unarmored nose. At the same time, the stallion threw a black, diamond-shaped knife, which effortlessly sank into the unicorns leather armor around his chest. The unicorn slumped over and bled out onto the ground below.

The changelings looked upwards, to the neighboring tree with a mixture of helpless horror and disbelief. The two pegasi readied their weapons and took aim at the changelings, but turned to face a different foe. A burly earthpony, wearing very thick steel plate and carrying a double bit axe charged and head butted the pegasuses' tree. The tree shook under his might, forcing the pegasi to wrap their limbs around the branch to stay up. The mare slipped, sending her trusty bow over the side of the tree, the only weapon the two had a chance of killing a heavily-armored foe with.

The earthpony stallion held his axe in two hooves and took a powerful swipe at the tree's trunk, digging it into the tree with one clean hit after another. A few chops later, and the tree was almost toppled, contributing to the horrified looks of the pegasi above. The pegasi attempted to take wing, but in their haste and foolishness they found themselves trapped by the menacing and gnarly branches of the tree. Another axe swing caused the tree to crackle and pop. The earth pony wrenched out his weapon, letting the tree sway heavily to its notched side.

With the groan and snap of fatigued wood, the tree came down to the ground, finishing its great journey with a crash. The pegasi in its upper branches were crushed in the impact, and the leafy top of the tree seeped and oozed blood from the two skilled fighters.

"HOO-AH!" A triumphant bark erupted from the earthpony's muzzle. He approached his entangled changeling allies, nodding at them to calm and reassure them that he was going to help. With one mighty swing of his axe, popped the offending black wire, causing the changelings to fall to the ground.

The changelings clicked in appreciation, finally freed from their great predicament. They looked to each other, making sure they were both alright to keep fighting. The earth pony nodded at them with a gruff grunt. The three of them turned around to give chase to the enemy. The ground trembled beneath the earthpony's hooves as he ran alongside the Changelings.

Both Eventide and Luna's armies were deep into the forest. The Equestrian units were running at breakneck speed, attempting to evade the better organized forces chasing them. Luna was starting to realise just how heavy the losses were on her side from their hasty and disorganized retreat.


End file.
